A Time of Change
by Wedjatqi
Summary: Set post season 5 - Once Atlantis is back in Pegasus, Teyla's social life begins to change in ways she had never predicted. John/Teyla. M. Written for the Beya Secret Elf Christmas Challenge.
1. Announcement of an End

**Title**: A Time of Change  
**Chapter:** 1 – Announcement of an End  
**Rating**: M  
**Warnings**: Set post S5, as requested  
**Disclaimer**: I own nothing whatsoever of the Stargate franchise and make no money from this etc.

**Note:** This fic was written for the Beya Secret Elf Christmas Challenge, in which we are all assigned an 'Elf' for whom we create 4 small gifts (fics, artwork or vids) which were posted 1 a week on the Beya LJ site until the week after Christmas when we reveal who we are to our 'Elf' by posting the final gift. This year, as usual, I decided to write one long fic, the first 4 chapters being the small gifts and the remaining chapters as the 'final' gift. Please keep this format in mind whilst reading this fic!  
This year I had the pleasure of writing for Jeyla4ever, who is a very good friend, and I had fun in having free rein to write for her. It's been a very tough and busy few months and as such I wish I had had more time for this fic, but hey, that's life.  
Merry Christmas to those who celebrate it, and Happy New Year to everyone. Xxx

0000

**Chapter 1****– Announcement of an End**

It had been a long day and one that had changed the course of her life. It had not been an unexpected change to her life, but its arrival still felt heavy upon her.

Deciding to part ways from another was always difficult, and the conversation with Kanaan, though amicable, had been emotional for both of them. He had agreed with her assessment of their relationship that they had a long time ago slipped back into friendship rather than anything romantic. If it had not been for Torren, she had no doubt that their relationship would have ended well before now.

And so today they had finally addressed the situation and agreed to part. She was deeply grateful that he was anxious to maintain their long held friendship, and that they had easily agreed a basic schedule for the sharing of Torren's care, so that he would spend half his time with Kanaan and their people on New Athos and the other half with her in Atlantis. There had also been the evitable dividing of their things that had found their way into his tent or her quarters. It had ultimately been a very practical and friendly enough ending, but now complete and the day drawing to a close, she felt quite empty and worn through.

Now back in Atlantis, she walked through the hallways with heavy feet and realised that she had no clear recollection of how she had made it here from the Gate Room. She looked at her watch, aware that she would just be in time for the planned social evening event. She was strongly tempted to miss it tonight though, to just collect Torren from her friends, and return to her quarters. Only that would perhaps be too lonely tonight. The exhausted and empty feeling inside could perhaps be filled a touch by being in her friends' company, and the distraction might do her and Torren some good this evening.

However, she was still undecided if she would share with them the day's events just yet.

The transporter doors slid open before her, and she had no recollection of having stepped into it let alone activating the panel, so deep in her thoughts had she been. She could find her way around the central areas of the city with her eyes closed, and that familiarity felt particularly poignant tonight.

Had she made a mistake in continuing on here in Atlantis? Would it be right for Torren? For her people's future? These were questions that had tormented her for many years now, only deepening with Torren's arrival, and it seemed that each time she considered them she had to forcibly renew her faith in her choices. Charin had once told her that if she had not felt these pressing questions that it would have been far more worrying than having them. She had made a momentous decision six years ago to leave her people, and now, separated from Kanaan, that choice felt even more permanent than before.

Up ahead of her, she heard voices, familiar and pleasing, and she latched onto them, hearing the bright cheerful giggle of her boy among them. She smiled as they came into view, but their backs were turned to her, gracing her with a beautiful picture of them stood together looking out a massive frosted window.

Ronon stood tallest at the far left of the window, Torren settled high against his shoulder, pointing out at the falling snow outside. Beside them, Rodney stood further back from the glass, as if being too close might transmit the cold chill to him from outside. Jennifer, stood beside him, laughed lightly at something, Carson smiling and shaking his head next to her. Then finally, John stood to the far right, one long arm leant against the highly decorated Ancient window frame as he watched the snow falling outside.

They were all the most precious people in her life now, as much as her people were always a part of her, these people were her home now. And returning to them, after the day she had had, felt like a balm upon raw and sad wounds.

She joined them silently, sliding into the small space available between Carson and John.

They noticed her instantly though, all smiles turned towards her and she felt the empty cold inside her ease considerably.

"We're admiring the Pegasus view again," John informed her with a grin that seemed somewhat tired from his day.

"It never gets old," Carson agreed brightly. "It's good to be back here."

"We've been back for weeks," Rodney replied, "How long are we going to have to stare out the window like we're waiting for Santa to appear."

"Santa, Torren," John said excitedly across the group towards her son. John had been telling Torren frequently of the mythical Earth being who delivers gifts to well-behaved children on one night of the year.

"Wonder if Santa delivers to the Pegasus galaxy," Carson asked playfully.

"Please," Rodney scoffed, as expected.

"You never know, Rodney," John replied, which was also just as expected, for he could never miss the chance to verbally prod Rodney. "From what we've learnt a lot of mythical figures from Earth have turned out to be aliens and Ancients. Maybe Santa was an Ancient."

The others laughed. Teyla smiled, but it felt somewhat strained across her tired consciousness this evening.

"He's _not_ an Ancient," Rodney protested.

"You sound like you still believe in him, Rodney," Carson baited.

"Shhh, not in front of Torren," John added playfully. "Of course, Santa's real."

"Torren's like a year old, he doesn't know what's going on," Rodney responded.

"Rodney," John admonished, quite serious this time, and she felt his attention on her.

She had not minded Rodney's comment, rather she found herself simply watching the falling snowflakes outside in the dark and feeling the exhaustion growing inside her. Aware of John's reflection moving next to her, she made herself smile vaguely.

"Are you alright, Luv?" Carson asked her gently, and she felt the group's full attention focus upon her. Clearly she had not been as successful in hiding her weariness this evening as she had hoped.

"I am fine," she began, "though..." She took a breath. It was not common for her to speak so openly about personal matters in a group, but she found herself suddenly eager for their understanding. "Kanaan and I have decided to walk different paths," she stated, inadvertently falling on the Athosian wording.

There was a brief sense of surprise among them, but it instantly shifted to sympathetic replies of support, except for Rodney who appeared confused as to what he should say.

"Ah, Luv, we're sorry to hear that," Carson offered as he set his warm hand on her shoulder.

"Are you alright?" Jennifer asked, kind concern emanating from her.

"I am fine," she assured them. "It was a mutual decision and," she took another steadying breath, "we have not been close for quite some time."

Carson and Jennifer nodded a little too quickly, and Ronon's pointed look informed her that they had observed as much themselves. She felt a sliver of embarrassment at that fact, but it only emphasised for her how correct her and Kanaan's decision had been.

"Will Torren be staying with Kanaan some of the time?" Jennifer asked, turning to the practical.

"Yes, we will share his care. I would not wish him to miss the experience of living some of his life in the Athosian camp, among my people."

"But, he'll stay here the rest of the time, right?" Ronon asked almost worriedly.

"Of course," Teyla answered with her first proper smile of the day, "This is his home." And that was the truth of it – it was her and Torren's home, it just hadn't turned out to be Kanaan's as well.

"Good," Ronon replied, as he hoisted Torren a little closer in his arm.

"We can't not see our Torren," Jennifer said as she reached past Rodney and tickled Torren's cheeks. Torren giggled brightly.

"Aye, this is both your homes," Carson added, squeezing her shoulder before he dropped his hand away.

She smiled at them, feeling exceptionally relieved at their understanding, she had been certain they were going to be, but to receive their smiles and their clear love for her son moved her. In a strange way, it was almost as if she had been more nervous about telling them about her separation than going through it.

It had been the right decision for her and Torren, she was certain of it.

She looked back out at the snow, only to focus on the fact that one person had remained silent about her news. She had not looked at him yet, stood leant against the frame to her right.

Of all of them, John's opinion mattered the most to her, but at the same time his was the least predictable on this matter. He had behaved unusually when it came to the subject of Kanaan in the past, not seeming to have ever quite forgiven Kanaan for working with Michael, even transformed as he had been, to hold her prisoner. John had never said as much, for he had barely had any contact with Kanaan over the last year, but that was what she suspected. It worried her that her friendship with John might be altered once again due to her choices in her personal life. She knew that some in his culture had strict opinions on parents of a child remaining together for life, even if they were not suited.

John had always supported her decisions in the past, but the subject of Kanaan had always been a little delicate between them.

She made herself look up at John now, seeking out his response.

His eyes were already on her and he smiled immediately, and the smile appearing supportive like the others', though there was surprise there as well still.

In fact, he appeared the most surprised at her news, and in the moment of locked eye contact she thought she saw his mind working away. She was not sure what that meant, but he smiled again at her before his gaze broke away as Torren giggled at something Ronon said. She felt a renewed burst of relief pass through her – his second smile had been softer, his usual supportive self.

She looked away herself to where Torren chuckled as he slapped his little hand against the window as he tried to catch a falling snowflake outside. She and her son were truly where they were meant to be, and surrounded by those who cared for them and made no judgements upon her choices. The tiredness inside eased a little with that knowledge, though she suspected she would fall exhausted into her bed tonight, she still looked forward to a few hours with her friends before putting Torren to bed.

She smiled out at the falling snow and caught the reflection of John stood beside her, tall and strong, as they watched the world that was Atlantis' new home in Pegasus.

And deep down inside her, a familiar and long lost hope stirred. She had thought it long dead, long denied and ignored, but it flickered to life too easily now, as if it had never truly been extinguished. It was a hope she had set aside, and yet here it was again, drawing her eyes back to John's reflection, whispering desires in her heart that she had known were never to be.

Yet, now, free to think upon them again, those desires took fast flight once more.

00000  
TBC


	2. Concern over Appearances

**Chapter 2 – Concern Over Appearances **

The tall perfectly clear glass walls of Mr Woolsey's office seemed strangely foreboding to Teyla as she approached along the short walkway to his command space. She had walked this path many times, but still, after all the years and changes that had passed, she still thought of it as Elizabeth's office. The years had not dulled the aching pain to think of Elizabeth though - her friend and the first commander of Atlantis since the days of the Ancients.

Now, however, the space belonged to Mr Richard Woolsey, who this morning had sent her an email suggesting an 'informal meeting' at her convenience today. He had summoned her in such a manner only a handful of times before, but today she felt somewhat unnerved by it, since the invitation had arrived only days after she had announced her separation from Kanaan. She could not help wondering if the two facts were connected and whether her personal situation might be of concern to the city's commander. She could of course continue her duties in the city as always, but it might be that she would have to make the fact clear for Mr Woolsey.

She had decided to respond to his meeting request promptly, taking time out before lunch, so that she would not have to dwell on what he wished to discuss.

Almost to his door now, he noticed her through the tall sheets of glass and waved her inside the brightly lit office.

His smile was warm as she entered, which was not unusual now from him, but today it seemed particularly designed to make the informal nature of this meeting evident. It did not settle her concerns as he no doubt hoped it would.

"Hello, Teyla, please take a seat," he greeted her, waving her towards a chair on the other side of his desk. She thought it an interesting choice considering the 'informal' nature he was stressing.

"Thank you," she replied as she sat down, schooling her features into those she used in trading meetings; one designed to conceal one's true thoughts and feelings.

"How is Torren?" Mr Woolsey asked, which he asked reasonably frequently.

"He is very well, thank you," she replied.

He smiled widely and set his interlinked hands on the top of his desk, leaning forward. She sensed that he was slightly uneasy, which was also not that uncommon with him.

"I just wanted to catch up with you, to see how things are going. That there isn't anything that you or Torren require," he asked.

She glanced away and back to him. "I cannot think of anything that is not already provided for all of us here."

"Good, good," he replied. "And everything is...satisfactory for Torren's childcare?"

A small tension twisted in her belly – she had been correct about the subject of this meeting.

"Ensuring Torren is cared for will not impact on any of my duties, I assure you," Teyla stated politely and strongly.

"I have no doubt it would, but," he paused, frowning slightly, "I would hope that if you did...perhaps...need some time to...acclimatise to the changes to your and Torren's situation, then you need only ask."

She was somewhat taken back by the offer, unsure if it was entirely due to concern for her and Torren, or stemming from apprehension that she would not be able to cope with the change in her life.

"Everything is fine," she stressed with a polite smile. "I perhaps will have to travel to New Athos a little more frequently, but I shall try to co-ordinate such travel with the trade deliveries."

"That's fine, as often as you need," he replied, the frown still present. "But, if you do need perhaps some time with Torren, then please feel that you can request such time."

Teyla smiled at him, hoping the smile appeared at ease. "Thank you, but it is not necessary."

He did not seem entirely pleased with her answer, but he nodded and smiled. "Good."

Silence descended and Teyla waited, unsure if he had more to say on the matter or if there was another subject he wished to discuss.

"Good," Mr Woolsey repeated, "Then in that case please give little Torren a hug from me."

It was a regular comment from him, and hearing it lessened the tension in her belly instantly - the meeting was over.

She rose quickly from her seat, pleased that the matter was resolved. "I will indeed."

He smiled once more as he lowered his attention to his computer tablet, but she could see that his mind was already returning to his work. Filled with relief, she exited the office and headed quickly away. She had lost little time for lunch, so she headed down the stairs out of the control room.

As she walked, she felt a touch of regret that perhaps she had been a little short with the city's commander. It seemed that he had merely wished to extend a hand in friendship asking if all was well, but instead she had taken it as a question of her handling of the situation and her emotional stability. She also realised that she was currently striding down the corridor with quite unnecessary speed. She made herself slow her pace.

The last couple of days had been normal enough, but she had striven to appear in control and at ease with the recent change to her life. She had not lied to Mr Woolsey – there was no need for concern about her or her duties, for truthfully she and Kanaan had shared little with each other for a long time other than care of Torren. Somewhere along the way, they had fallen back into only their old well established friendship and his decision to spend all his time now on New Athos changed little in their lifestyles. Torren would be the most affected, but he was young and he would get to experience the best of both worlds living part time on New Athos and part in Atlantis.

Yet, as true as all that was, she had felt the pressure of the new circumstances. She had feared that others in the city would be judging her badly or be waiting to see if she would show grief or anger. She had kept her personal life very personal, and as such she suspected others did not understand the ease at which she and Kanaan split. Only, she had not realised how not at ease she had been these last two days. She had been overly worrying about appearances and cultural differences, fearing isolation in Atlantis for her choices. She had striven to appear the leader role she had been for her people – in control at all times and able to handle any changes thrown her way. However, no one had treated her any differently, other than her team seeming to need to fill her free time more than usual. There had been no sideways looks, as had happened in the past when her Wraith gene had been discovered or when the news of her pregnancy had spread. It seemed that a break up was not as big an issue for those from Earth as she had feared.

As she reached the doors to the Mess Hall, she paused and let out a long breath and, for the first time in days, she felt her shoulders properly relax. She had been carrying far too heavy, and unnecessary, stress these past days. She took a deep breath in, easing into her usual mediation skills, and imagined the stress and judgement, which only she had placed upon her own shoulders, drift away. Instantly she felt more herself, lighter and calmer.

She moved forward again, the Mess Hall doors parting for her, and the usual mixed sounds of conversation, cutlery, and moving chairs filled the air. As she headed for the table spread with food, she looked towards the team's usual table to see that only John and Carson were sat there today. As she selected a sandwich and drink, she checked her watch, concerned she was later than she had realised. It did not appear so, which worried her slightly for Rodney was not here for his regular meal slot. She hoped everything was alright.

John noticed her approach first and smiled brightly. "Hey," he greeted her as she reached their table.

"Hello, John, Carson," she greeted them, making sure to smile calmly. "Where is Rodney?" She asked as she settled onto the end chair, which placed her between John and Carson.

"He's still working on that super weapon thingy," John replied before he took a large bite out of his sandwich.

"Hopefully it's not," Carson commented. "He still doesn't know what it does. It's probably some automated pigeon feeder."

Teyla smiled as she unwrapped her sandwich.

John sniggered at the idea. "Ronon's still off world with Lorne's team."

"I thought they were expected back some time ago," Teyla asked as she sized up her sandwich.

"Lieutenant Tyler twisted her ankle, so they're making slow progress back to the Gate," Carson replied.

"I'm surprised Ronon hasn't just picked her up and carried her back to the Gate," John commented.

"As if Tyler would allow that," Carson joked.

John nodded in agreement as he chewed and Teyla noticed his gaze settle on her.

"Everything okay with Torren?" He asked. She was not fooled by the apparent casualness of his question, for she knew instantly what he really wished to ask – why was she late for lunch and if everything was alright for her currently.

"He is well," she replied. "I have just had a short meeting with Mr Woolsey."

John pulled an interested expression. "Trying to get those new quarters?"

Teyla smiled as she chewed.

"New quarters?" Carson asked with interest.

She worked to chew faster and swallow to answer him, but John beat her to the explanation.

"Torren's going to get his own room."

"Off my quarters," she added hurriedly now able to talk. "I am considering putting in a request for larger quarters.

"I thought you had decided you would?" John asked.

She glanced at him as she reached for her drink. "I was not sure if my request would be still be prioritised now that...circumstances had changed," she confessed.

The larger rooms in the main tower closer to the main areas of the city – the Mess Hall, Gate room, and Infirmary - were highly prized and there was a strict hierarchy of need that determined where new staff were housed in the tower. She and the others first in the city had selected the best rooms of course, leaving the rest for those that came later. Her current quarters were pleasant, but now Torren was older it would be best for him to have a small bedroom of his own off her room, so that way he would not be disturbed once he was asleep. The largest and best centrally located rooms had already been claimed and there would be tight competition over who was assigned the best that were vacated with the next staff exchange due in the next month. However, she wasn't sure if her request would be deemed less important now that she was not part of a couple with a child.

"Torren still needs a room," John replied with a frown. "It won't make any difference. You need to put in your request," he insisted.

She smiled at his concern for her and Torren, holding his eye contact a beat longer than normal. "I suppose now would be a good time before the new recruits arrive on the Daedalus."

"Aye, we'll be surrounded by Newbies soon enough," Carson put in. "You should put in your request Teyla," he suggested, the two men clearly creating a united supportive front.

Teyla nodded as she retrieved a piece of lettuce that had fallen free of her sandwich onto her tray. She wondered how best to word her quarters request.

"I have no doubt you'll get the space you need," Carson added and she smiled at his kindness as she inserted the wayward piece of lettuce back into her sandwich.

"And it's always important to grab _opportunities_ when they arrive," Carson continued.

There had been something a little strange in the tone and inflexion in the way he had said that, but she had gotten his point.

"And not to let something _precious_ slip through your fingers," Carson finished, again with the same odd wording.

She looked round at him with a frown to see that he was looking at John, only to look quickly back to her with a smile.

She glanced at John, wondering if she was missing something. He was sitting straight in his seat and his face was frozen in a slightly shocked expression, which immediately morphed into a smile as she looked at him. He then looked down at his food with far too much interest.

She looked back at Carson. She suspected Carson was referring to something the two men had been discussing before she had arrived.

"Put in the request, Luv," Carson continued. "Torren will be running around before you know it."

She smiled painfully. "He has yet to start walking, Carson."

"It won't be long, and hopefully by then you'll need your own space in your quarters and he'll have his." Again there was the subtlest of hints that there was a double meaning in his words, but she was not sure.

Beside her John shifted in his seat and coughed. "So, you think it's really a weapon of mass destruction in Rodney's lab?"

She frowned faintly at John, but accepted the change of topic. "If it is not already, he may turn it into one," she replied.

John laughed at her joke, perhaps a little too easily, only to then glance at Carson and then look down at his food again.

She looked at Carson to find him smiling down at his own food as if he found something highly amusing – clearly they had been discussing something significant that it had put John on edge. It must not be too serious though, for Carson appeared to find John's discomfort amusing, or was it teasing Rodney that made him smile?

"Let's not give him the idea," Carson suggested. "He goes on enough about building an atomic weapon when he was a child."

She nodded her agreement, only for a worrying thought to occur to her. "I must remember to have a talk with Rodney about what he teaches Torren when he is older."

"We don't need a mini version of McKay running around," John offered back into the conversation.

Teyla laughed at the idea. "I doubt Torren will follow in Rodney's footsteps."

Carson looked round at her. "Growing up in this city, Torren could become anything he wants - a biologist, physicist, solider, or _a doctor_."

She smiled at his emphasis on his own profession. He was correct though that in Atlantis, Torren would have the most amazing of educations and possible futures. She had not considered that he might eventually choose a career based on Earth sciences such as a botany or geology. The idea, though new and a little strange, filled her with warm satisfaction and promise for the future.

"That is true," she replied, feeling her mood lift higher than it had not done in many days.

"He could even become a pilot," John suggested with clear bias of his own.

000000  
TBC


	3. The Support of Friendship

**Chapter 3 – The Support of Friendship **

The walk was becoming more familiar than ever before; the crunch of New Athosian soil under her boots transforming to the hard smooth floor of the Gate room as she stepped through the wormhole.

It had been yet another trip to pass Torren to Kanaan at the camp, the routine only two weeks new, but seemingly common and ordinary already. No one in the camp spoke of the changes; they had simply accepted her and Kanaan's decision. The only consequences truly were on Torren, and he seemed in no way affected, loving his time in the camp equally as his time in Atlantis.

She wished she could take his stays in the camp with such emotional ease.

As much as she had found peace and relief in her separation from Kanaan, separating from her son for days at a time remained difficult. She had no doubt that he was being cared for at all times, it was rather that a part of her always feared that the Wraith may descend upon her people while she was away - while her son was away from the protection of Atlantis' walls, shield, and highly trained warriors.

She had lived as her people did for most of her life, yet she could not deny the vulnerability of the camp. They had Earth weapons for protection and the camp was located close enough to the Gate to dial out to Atlantis and escape, but the Wraith blocked the Gates by dialling into a planet before a culling. If her people could not reach the safely of the hideouts and the weapons caches in time...

The fears had circled her thoughts each and every time she had ever left her son with her people, but now he lived there for longer stretches of time with his father, the danger felt greater.

It was not a new danger though, and she would not deny her son his time with his people and his father. She refused to allow them to live their lives in fear.

However, it did not make it any easier for her to walk away from the camp, waving back at her little boy. She would count the days until his return, lose herself in her duties, and try to sleep at night without the niggling concern over Torren's welfare.

She had been told it would become easier.

However, even if it did so, she suspected time would not fill the other emptiness of the simple fact that she missed her boy's presence in the city for half of the week. Stepping into Atlantis now was arriving home, but it was the first of her days until Torren returned.

It was later than she had intended to return to the city this evening, as she had decided to remain by the cooking fire a little longer, talking with Halling while she held Torren curled up in her arms. Her boy would be fast asleep by now and Kanaan would take good care of him. Tomorrow Kanaan planned to take him down to the stream to watch the seasonal rush of the small blue fish that travelled up the rivers to breed.

Torren would be fine.

The sentries on duty around the Gate nodded at her, their arms and shoulders relaxing to see friend and not foe entering the city. She nodded in response, feeling the soft evening warmth of the city wrap around her like a blanket and in sharp contrast to the cooler walk from the camp. It was not as late here as it was on New Athos, but she decided she would turn in early to her bed tonight, to wrap up warmly and perhaps read her latest borrowed Earth book from the stack by her bed. Everyone else would be turned in or watching the evening's movie showing several levels down the tower. She glanced at her watch and calculated how far through the movie they would be by now, but she wasn't truly tempted to do anything other than return to her quarters.

"Teyla," John's voice surprised her from the right and she looked back towards the main staircase leading up to the command level of the Gate Room. His shift had been ending when she had left the city hours ago.

"Is everything alright?" She asked wondering if something had occurred whilst she had been off world. However, in the time it took her to ask her question, she knew nothing major had occurred for John's body language was relaxed as he descended the stairs and moved across the Gate Room floor towards her.

"It's all been good here, I've just been finishing off the boring stuff," he told her as he reached her side. "You're my excuse to finally leave."

She smiled as they headed for the exit together. "Were you not enjoying writing your reports?" She teased, knowing he had been putting off the full city wide security reviews he was required to complete before the next dial in to Earth.

He pulled a face "As good as it was to have Atlantis on Earth for a few months, it's created a real headache now that the Powers That Be have actually had the chance to go over the city."

"If you had started the work when you first began to complain about it..." She pointed out, and not for the first time.

All week he had been talking about the final reports that were marring his working week, but he had clearly been far more interested in joining in the team's and city's events, including the team games night, the city poker tournament two days ago, and he had visited Torren and her several times this week in a bid to delay his reports.

He had arrived at her door yesterday morning requesting to 'borrow Torren' so that Woolsey wouldn't make him sit too long through a discussion on the security requirements of the water and sewage works in Atlantis.

She had had to smile at his wide eyed plea and had passed Torren to him, along with strict instructions that she was not to be blamed for the 'enforced' babysitting duties that would reduce Mr Woolsey's meeting time.

It had not stopped Mr Woolsey from asking her none too subtly how childcare for Torren was going for her with her new 'social situation' again – she had done so well two weeks ago to convince him that there was no need to change her duties. She had simply repeated that she had all the support she could ask for, feeling it was far from a lie for by John's 'borrowing' of Torren, she had been afforded several hours of her own time. John had returned a bright and well fed Torren in the early afternoon, and how could she complain to see both the males enjoying each other's company so happily.

"The reports are mostly done," John replied now, and by the strained hints of tiredness around his eyes, she did not doubt he had been working hard. She was surprised he had decided to work up near the command area though.

"Torren all settled?" he asked, and she saw some assessment in his eyes, as she had been doing of him. She knew what he was looking for, and that he saw too clearly that leaving Torren in the camp concerned her.

"He was close to falling asleep when I left," she replied glancing away to the end of the corridor down which they were walking. "Halling asked me to thank you for arranging his latest shipment."

"Ah, yes, the crate of pencils. He's going to sell _all_ of them?" John asked dubiously.

"He says they should trade very well," Teyla replied with a smile.

"Certainly won't be short for something to write with on New Athos," John replied with a sparkling teasing smile.

She smiled back up at him, enjoying his presence, as she had been able to do so frequently these past weeks through which her friends had worked to fill her time.

"Is he going to be there for the rest of the week? – Torren, not Halling," John asked. "Because Halling's always there, at least when I've been there. Not that he doesn't ever leave New Athos sometimes," he rambled.

She smiled bemused up at him.

"It's late and I've written too many words about sewerage and the swimming pool level."

"I have been considering taking Torren down to the swimming pool," she considered as they reached the transporter and the doors opened before them.

"There's that kiddie pool, he'll love that," John replied with enthusiasm as they stepped inside and he reached up to trigger the panel, only to pause. He frowned at her. "You had dinner while on New Athos?"

She was surprised by his question, but then her friends had noticed that she had missed a few meals lately while moving back and forth between her people and the city. She was grateful for the concern, though felt faintly embarrassed at its need as well.

"I had something to eat while I was in the camp," she replied honestly.

John narrowed his eyes, telling her that he was not entirely convinced by her description.

"I had a bowl of soup," she clarified, feeling the need to explain that she had not lied to him.

"That's it?" He asked with clear disapproval and he triggered the panel, which in a flash brought them down the tower to the level of the Mess Hall.

"I am quite tired and had planned to turn in for the night," she told him as she looked down the stretch of corridor revealed by the opening transporter doors.

"Just something quick to eat. I need a coffee, you can keep me company," John tempted.

She frowned up at him suspiciously, making it clear that she knew what he was doing, and yet she was touched by his thoughtfulness.

"There's probably some apple pie left," he added, his eyebrows rising and his chin lifting. The direct overhead lighting in the transport room glowed down over his handsome features and the playful determined shine to his eyes.

She looked away down the corridor, the apple pie and the promise of enjoying his company alone for a little bit quite successfully tempting her to reconsider.

"For a little while," she conceded and he grinned, clearly pleased with himself as he led the way out of the transporter.

"There's only one rule," John told her as they fell into step together down the corridor. "We don't talk about the reports or pencils."

She laughed, feeling oddly rejuvenated, for though her tiredness and concern for Torren remained, the promise of John's company was far too tempting to deny.

00000  
TBC


	4. The Glisi Feast

**Chapter 4 – The Glisi Feast **

She had been looking forward to this opportunity for many long years. The Glisi were a people with whom she was always anxious to trade, and finally they had made contact with her people. As she had expected, they had been eager to open trade discussions with Atlantis through her. She had been planning for this day since she had started working in the city, and had kept a growing crate of Earth goods in a storeroom which she planned to trade with the Glisi. She had collected saucepans, cutlery, boxes, random large items of cold weather clothing, plastic sheeting, and rope. Items for which she knew the Glisi would be very willing to trade.

The Glisi were a nomadic people of an extreme even to her people. They moved their camps by wagon every two weeks or so, taking down their large wooden planked and canvas buildings with sharp efficiency, to find a new camp several days' travel away, ranging across the massive continent of their world. It was only when they were close enough to the Gate that they traded off world. Teyla's father had only traded with them three times in his life, and she had accompanied him on his last visit. She had since visited the Glisi twice since his passing, but the last time had been over eight years ago. In meeting with them again now, it was like reconnecting with her past and, in a strange way, also with her father. However, the connection was also about the future, and she had known that both the Glisi and Atlantis would benefit greatly from the new trade.

The Glisi home world was a planet entirely covered with dense forest and set in a constant deep winter. The forest afforded great concealment from the Wraith, and the deep cold seemed to somehow interfere with the Wraith's ability to locate the Glisi through the treetops. It was also possible that the Wraith were unable to tolerate the extreme cold of the planet, as did any humans, except for the Glisi, who were well adapted to their world.

The Glisi were a massive people, the shortest of their women standing at six and a half feet tall. Their children grew shoulders as wide as Ronon's before their teenage years, and they grew as fast as the trees on their planet. The Glisi were a people thick with natural blubber and muscle, and it was said that they could push the tallest of trees outside over with one hand. It was myth of course, but not that far off. Though they were a very physically formidable and hardily built people who struggled always against the fearful cold of their world, the Glisi were very friendly and approachable people, when they were reachable by others, which was so infrequently. Though overly superstitious about some things, the Glisi were a highly successful and adapted people who were only culled by the Wraith once or twice every generation, and only then by Wraith attacking on foot. Even when a culling hit, the Glisi escaped with very few losses, by using speed or their networks of tree and cave hideouts in the snow laden forest to outwit the Wraith. With their natural build and multiple layers of thick fabric and furs as clothing, a Glisi could outlast any human out in the snow and it seemed most Wraith as well.

Tonight, the main Glisi feasting hall was full to bursting with a large collection of the massive Glisi. With so many of them moving camp together, these social events were important to bind the large community and their new trading partners, which meant that tonight there was a great deal of food, drink, and merriment.

Around her the great feast was loud and boisterous; the tables lined up in one long row in the centre of the largest of the Glisi' wooden and canvas buildings. She smiled at the laughter and singing filling the air from the far left, where Glisi were sat around one massive glowing fire, which was one of many heating the long building.

"So, basically, they're Vikings," John stated from beside her at the table. He had made this observation several hours ago upon first meeting the Glisi, and had repeated it many times since.

Teyla made a show of rolling her eyes. "They are _not _Vikings," she stressed, though aware that it had become something of a game between them now – John seeming to find it amusing to make her state this over and over again. "They are Glisi," she repeated.

Laughter and someone choking on their food brought some shouts and then more laughter as one Glisi stood up rubbing his chest. He had likely lost in a fastest eater competition the Glisi particularly enjoyed.

"Come on," John replied loudly to be heard over the noisy busy hall. "Look, that one's even got horns on his helmet," he added, nudging her elbow with his. The move almost sloshed some of her drink out of her horn cup.

"Actually," Rodney replied first, from where he sat across the table from her and John. He was reaching for his third, by her count, leg of meat. "There's little evidence that the Vikings actually-"

"They are _not_ Vikings," Teyla stressed again quickly so as to interrupt an impending long history lecture from her friend, and John chuckled beside her as he drank some more of his cup of warmed juice. She did not entirely like the drink, made from a berry that grew throughout the Glisi forest, however, it was the only drink available that was not highly alcoholic. Alcohol was another way that the Glisi were able to keep warm in the depths of the cold.

"Vikings wouldn't be happy with the saucepans and trinkets we brought," Carson commented from beside Rodney. He had joined them on the trading visit to assess the Glisi' medical needs. The Glisi were hardy people and seemed quite resistant to most infections, or perhaps it was that little survived the constant winter to infect them. Either way, it had provided the good doctor an interesting avenue of research.

John leant forward and set his elbows on the table, which rocked his weight forward on the small rickety bench that she shared with him, and she felt it shift forward with him. The Glisi did not have the sturdiest of furniture, for the only wood they could use came from the fast thick growing trees outside, and the cold seemed to make them brittle in the warmth inside. It was also possible that perhaps supporting the weight of the Glisi overly taxed the furniture.

Sturdy furniture of good wood and construction were always excellent items to trade to the Glisi. However, it seemed that the bench upon which she and John sat, would soon be recycled into fire wood. For now though it was holding together, but it rocked each time John moved too much, tilting her abruptly either towards the table or against his shoulder.

She was beginning to suspect that he was moving around as much on purpose. She frowned at him as she steadied herself against his shoulder, but saw no sign that he had noticed. She was not fooled, for his lack of concern for her safe seat made her even more assured that he was doing it on purpose.

"Who would have thought Vikings would like flowers," John commented, indicating the large cups of cut flowers set along the tables.

Teyla had collected large armfuls from the botany lab before leaving the city, knowing the Glisi would appreciate the fresh flowers, something they saw very infrequently on their freezing world.

"Why should the Glisi not appreciate something beautiful any less than us?" She asked settling herself more securely on the bench.

John looked at her along his shoulder with a pointed look as if he was reading more into her comment. She frowned at him and at Rodney's sniggering across the table. She did not understand what they meant. Unless they were referring to the appreciative greeting she had received by some of the Glisi males when she had arrived here.

"I can kind of understand the flowers when they live on a world like this all year round," Carson said, "though they're not as lasting as Halling's pencils."

"Pencils?" Rodney asked. "What pencils?"

"Halling ordered a whole crate of them two weeks ago," Carson replied.

Teyla smiled.

"Surely a box of biros would have been preferable," Rodney scoffed.

"Which would run out of ink too soon and are not so easily sharpened," Teyla replied, using enough of a strong tone to make it clear that Rodney should think a little further before he judged another, but also to play a little with him in return. As predicted, Rodney looked worried, fearing he had insulted her and her people with his biro comment. She schooled her features to make sure he couldn't tell if he had – it was too easy to play Rodney, not that she wasn't making a valid point.

Perhaps she had been spending too much time with John of late.

"Sure, I guess," Rodney agreed with her hurriedly, though she suspected that he was desperate to correct her that biros were not to be sharpened. She let it hang, waiting to see if he would say anything, or perhaps see the comment of sharpening being a subtle threat.

He looked worried.

John chuckled next to her and Carson reached for more food.

"Give it up, Rodney," John suggested. "You can't win against Teyla."

Rodney frowned, as if he didn't understand, so Teyla smiled at him finally and set down her drink.

Next to her, John sat back on the bench, rocking her abruptly backwards and she was forced to reach out with both hands to steady herself, one hand on the table the other catching a tight grip of John's arm. She glared at him beside her and saw the smile he wasn't trying all that hard to hide as he swirled his cup round and looked away from her.

"Ronon fits in a little too well here," he commented, and Teyla leant forward, carefully so on the bench, to look around him. His attention and comment had been focused down the far end of the hall where the Glisi leaders were sat around in deep conversation and laughter. Ronon was sat with Hian, one of the most experienced Glisi hunters.

"I always said he was a Viking," Rodney couldn't help but comment.

"They are not Vikings," Teyla said automatically, but her attention was fixed on Ronon and Hian. Ronon was clearly enjoying the company of the Glisi, but she was a little concerned that he might not understand the interest in Hian's full attention.

There were always many cultural differences to consider when trading, and she suspected those of the Glisi and Satedan had never crossed paths before. She was not overly sure herself as to the Satedan view of social interactions.

John might know more, so she switched her attention to him. She leant closer, resting her hand against his shoulder again, since she had been doing so frequently this evening he would not mind, and it would catch his attention and emphasise the importance of her question.

"John," she asked with a lowered voice so it would not carry in the busy, though loud hall. "Do you think I should mention to Ronon that Hian enjoys the company of men?" She asked.

John had angled his head slightly when she spoke, the scent of his clothing and aftershave lingering in the warmth around him.

"What?" He asked, appearing thrown by her question. "That Viking he's talking to?"

"Yes," she replied. "Only the Glisi often see these feasts as opportunities to woo a mating." She offered. "And Hian is not a Viking," she added and John's cheek rose with his smile as they watched Ronon and Hian down the end of the hall.

John looked further round at her - the dancing firelight filling the hall very flattering on his features. "You think he's hitting on Ronon?" He asked with what appeared to be far too much amusement.

"He does appear quite absorbed with what Ronon is saying," she explained as justification for her concern.

"Maybe he's telling a good tale," John suggested with a grin before he drank down the last of his warm juice only to frown down at the cup and then at her. She was leant close to his shoulder still, which brought them closer than normal, so she pulled back a little. Not too far though.

She saw his eyes slide quickly over her face and he frowned. "You sure there isn't any alcohol in this juice?" He asked with suspicion.

She suspected he had noticed the warm relaxation of the Glisi' form of alcohol in his system. She had to admit she could feel the same gentle ease to her senses and concerns, but not enough to impact her behaviour significantly.

"There is no alcohol in the juice," she assured him, "however I believe there was some in the meat sauce we consumed."

"Ahhh," he replied as he set his cup down on the table. "Take it easy with the meat, Rodney," he warned across the table.

Teyla however had returned her attention to watching Ronon and Hian down the end of the hall. She had no idea how a Satedan like Ronon would take an advance from a male. She did not know how Satedans felt towards same sex relationships, so perhaps Ronon would not mind, but she should perhaps warn him.

"Do you think I should say something?" She asked John, worrying that Ronon had never been one to think politically when it came to his natural reactions, whichever way he might respond to an advance from Hian.

John looked towards the men again. "I say leave them to it," he replied. "Let nature take its course." There was amusement for sure in his voice and she knew that his advice was born from the chance to tease Ronon rather than a political view.

She nudged his shoulder with her hand. "John," she warned.

"What? It's not our business where Ronon spends the night."

Teyla shook her head at him, though he was looking away towards Ronon again. "Some days I think there is something of the troublemaker in you, John," she told him.

He looked right round at her, his weight shifting the bench as he did, which rocked her forward into him. She was already leaning against his shoulder so the ploy did not work all that well.

He grinned at her widely, his eyes sparkling and, being closer than normal, the dark centres seemed especially deep. "You've only just worked that out?"

000000  
TBC


	5. Combating the Cold

**Chapter 5 – Combating the Cold **

Just walking across the tiny dividing space between the Glisi feasting hall to the next building seemed to freeze Teyla through. It was barely two metres to cross to the building that would be their sleeping quarters for the night, yet it felt that in just the first step the heat from her body was instantly leached out of her into the bleak dark forest.

There was no source of light outside the feasting hall other than a strange moonlight glow cast off the snow piled up between the buildings. There was to be no torch or flashlight to light their way, for the Glisi feared any light outside their buildings. Their somewhat excessive superstition prohibited any fire or artificial light outside at night, and they went so far as to banish anyone who lit even the tiniest of flames, for the Glisi believed that it would attract the Wraith like muck drew flies. Perhaps it was true that any obvious heat source on this densely forested cold planet might be noticed by any Wraith scanning the planet, however the Glisi believed that the Wraith would always instantly be drawn to any warmth or light.

Ahead of her, Winat, the Glisi leading them to their sleeping space for the night, pulled open the new building's door a fraction. Dancing low orange light of warming fires inside weakly filled the tiny space he had opened, which was just barely enough to allow them to sneak through into the building and out of the cold. Teyla hurried in first, hit instantly by the warmth the fires and the far less enjoyable heavy living animal scent of the cattle stabled inside. The cattle were shoulder high, thickly furred creatures with long manes and massively thick legs, who spent their lives pulling the large moving wagons of the Glisi camp. Unfortunately their stables were the best guest accommodation in the camp, though at least the Glisi had removed the stored wagons and cattle harnesses from this stable for the night.

"What's that smell?" Rodney asked impolitely as the others all hurried inside out of the snow behind her. Many days, Teyla wondered why she was still surprised at Rodney's behaviour.

Winat however did not take offense, instead he barked out a laugh as he shut the door firmly behind him. "Ah, yes, they smell do they not? But, they will help keep the building warm for you and we have put some flowers by the beds," he informed them as he led the way down the central corridor of space that stretched down the centre of the building, the stalls and storage spaces set off it on both sides.

The cattle had narrow stalls, one each, set in centre of the building, with the large wider stalls on either side for the wagons, blankets, ropes and other items required for moving the camp.

"We have set up the spare beds we have for you, but we do not have many. There are four sleeping areas, two at the far end, two this side of the cattle. You will keep warmer if you share the beds and select the stalls closer to the cattle. Unless your people prefer to all sleep in one stall on one bed, that would keep you warmer," Winat questioned.

"What?!" Rodney asked alarmed.

"We will split into groups, thank you, Winat," Teyla replied quickly before Rodney could say anything more.

"I suspected as much," Winat replied, seeming amused as he looked down at them from his towering height. "The fires should keep going at both ends of the building, but you will still feel the cold. You are all such small things, especially you, Teyla Emmagan, daughter of Tagan and friend Torren," he added teasingly.

Teyla smiled up at Winat as they stopped by the furthest stalls that held guest beds for them.

"You have your father's height," Winat added with a rough chuckle.

Teyla sensed a shift of warmth behind her and became aware of John stood far closer to her back than normal. Or perhaps it was that she felt so sensitive to body heat on this freezing world.

"I believe that my father used to say that you kept the snow and rain off his head for him," Teyla replied and Winat laughed loudly again, one large hand dropping gently onto her shoulder.

"Ahh, such good days they were to sit with your father and hear his tales of trading across such far worlds. He would be proud of his daughter back here at our table trading from across even further stretches."

Teyla grinned up at him, delighting in this tiniest of connections with her father, so long lost now that it was rare for her to meet those who had known him and who had survived the Wraith.

"I am honoured that I could bring the Glisi new trading partners and sit at your table in my father's place once more."

Winat smiled and released her shoulder. "I suspect you may need extra blankets little Teyla. I will make sure some are available should you need them."

"I'm sure everything will be fine, thanks," John replied from behind her shoulder.

"If you require anything, remember to strike loudly on the door and wait for a sentry to open the door for you," Winat reminded them, but Teyla had already stressed to the team the importance of not stepping outside with a flashlight.

"I am sure we have everything we could need," Teyla replied.

"Good night to you all then," Winat announced as he turned and strode back down the central corridor between the stalls. He patted the back of two of the cattle as he passed them.

Rodney plastered himself against the stalls as Winat passed him and quickly disappeared outside, closing the large door and cutting out the brief rush of the night's cold.

"Are we _really_ going to sleep in here?" Rodney called down the length of the building. "With cows in the middle of the room?!"

"Shut up, Rodney," both Carson and John chorused together.

Teyla smiled as she turned on the spot, stood at the furthest sleeping areas with John. They had left Ronon still back in the feasting hall where Hian had been recounting his best hunting stories. Ronon would likely fill one of the large low beds by himself when he arrived and probably would not need to share body heat. She suspected she would though, for she could already feel herself shivering under her thick coat.

Beside her, John shifted, swinging his backpack down as he moved past her. "I assume you'll want to share with me and not Rodney?" he uttered quietly to her with a smile that she could just make out in the dark shadows formed between them.

She could not help but immediately nod and smile at him as he brushed past her, heading into the stall to their right. At which point, she realised that he had not considered that she had another option – to share a bed with Carson. Though, that would leave John to share with Rodney and she knew he would not wish that. She glanced down the building to see Carson looking towards her with a pained yet hopeful expression. She offered him an apologetic shrug, unwilling in this instance to assist her friend in need. She would imagine that Rodney would be a difficult one to share blankets with, and he was well known to snore when sleeping on missions.

Carson shook his head in a way that suggested to her that he should have known better than to request help from her, and she tried not to smile as he turned dejectedly towards where Rodney had picked out a bed.

Turning away to her own rest for the night, she stepped into the enclosed space of the emptied wagon stall, full now with a large bed.

Which she would be sharing with John.

She could not pretend to herself that she anticipated that fact a little too much as she edged around the wide bed. As with everything made by the Glisi, the bed was very large, filling the entire stall space except for a leg's width of space around it. John was already making his way carefully around the right side of the bed, so she headed around the left.

"I'm starting to feel like a Hobbit in this place," John joked as he reached the head of the bed and set down his backpack and unzipped his tac vest. As he did so, the cattle in the stall behind him set its cheek and nose on the top of the dividing wall and inhaled deeply. John flinched, looking over his shoulder with a cautious smile.

"They are friendly," Teyla assured him with a smile of her own as she set her pack down and pulled free her own vest.

In the distance down the other end of the building, the sound of raised voices rose over the cattle's deep inhalations as John spoke quietly to it, assuring the creature that they wouldn't be staying more than one night in its 'crib'.

"I'm not sleeping with you, Carson," Rodney complained loudly.

"Fine, you sleep in that stall, but don't spend the whole night keeping us all awake complaining that you're cold," Carson replied logically. Their voices felt oddly distant as they drifted through the low light and chill of the stall. Further away from the glowing fire now, she could feel the cold emanating in through the building's outside wall at the head of the bed.

"I'm not comfortable with any of this," Rodney muttered loudly, "I didn't sign up for a cohabiting sleep over in a stable."

"Rodney, we're just sharing the bed, not cuddling up," Carson responded.

"Who said anything about cuddling?!" Rodney asked worriedly.

Teyla met John's gaze across the bed and they shared a laughing smile as they freed themselves of their vests.

"Rodney, grow up, please," Carson requested.

Teyla turned a little awkwardly and sat on the edge of the bed and began pulling off her boots. She had suggested they all bring an extra layer of clothing for the night and she noticed that John had heeded her recommendation for he had pulled off his jacket and was pulling on an extra thick pullover.

"...I'm just saying, my stomach still hurts, and if I'm sick in the night, you won't want to be that close," Rodney was continuing.

"There's a bucket over there if you need to be sick," Carson replied, sounding quite exasperated now.

"A bucket? Is that there for what I think it's for?"

John edged his way back around the end of the bed and leant out into the central corridor. "Kids! It's bedtime - don't make me come down there."

Teyla grinned as she pulled on her own extra thick top.

"We're not bringing them on our next vacation," John joked as he squeezed back around the bed.

Teyla grinned at him over her shoulder as she pulled on her additional thick pair of socks.

"Very funny," Rodney called back, but silence followed quickly, broken only by the gentle sounds of the cattle and the rustle of backpacks opening and closing.

John picked up one of the two folded thick blankets set in the middle of the bed and shook it out. "You want to share the blankets or have one each?" He asked in a lowered voice, which seemed appropriate considering the low light and the growing cold.

"It is probably wiser to share them both," Teyla replied, feeling foolishly pleased once more to think of sharing this bed with him tonight. It was just sharing body heat under the same blankets, nothing more. They had shared a tent before. This would be the simple sharing of warmth in friendship.

"Yeah, good idea," John replied, which he no doubt had also thought was the best option, but had still asked for her preference.

She helped spread out both the thick warm blankets, finding that they were far softer to the touch than she had expected. Down the other end of the building, she could faintly hear Rodney and Carson talking, but it was now quieter and more relaxed conversation. Rodney seemed to have finally accepted the wisdom of sharing warmth on this frozen planet.

She pulled back the corner of the blankets on her side of the bed and slipped quickly under them as John did the same on his side. They both settled onto their backs beside one another, shoulders grazing slightly as they fussed together over tucking the double layer of blankets over them. The bed still felt quite large even with John in it beside her, but then it likely had been built for Glisi.

It was far darker now they were lying down inside the cubicle that was their sleeping quarters, the light of the hearths lost outside the wooden panelled walls. To the left the cattle once again propped its nose over the panel and took a deep breath.

"Hey, you smell far worse, buddy," John whispered to the creature and Teyla chuckled.

John let out a deep restful sigh. "Besides the accommodations, I could get used to missions like this," he said into the cool shadows. "A proper big feast, no one's shooting at us or trying to suck the life out of us." She smiled as she pulled the top of her side of the blankets up a little higher to combat the chill. "Wasn't counting on there being Vikings though..." John added.

She turned her head to look at him beside her, to find him already looking at her, waiting for her predicted reply. The faint firelight glowed across his handsome face, catching the shine of his mischievous eyes and smiling lips.

"They are not Vikings," she happily reminded him and his smile became a victorious grin.

She huddled even further under the blankets, pulling them up higher to her chin. The cold seemed to have permeated the mattress long before her and John had climbed onto it and she waited, somewhat desperately, for it to warm up under her. She glanced at John beside her again and wondered how he could seem so settled. She was physically holding her body taut so as not to shiver too much and disturb him.

"What is it about Vikings and men in the city?" She asked by way of distraction from the cold. "It seems the same with pirates, for when any such movie is played in the city it sparks much conversation and impressions."

John shifted next to her and she was relieved to see him pull the top of the blankets further up over his throat. "They're cool," he replied. "Though, admittedly, you probably wouldn't have wanted to meet one. Especially not the pirates – not only would they steal your ship but make you walk the plank into shark infested waters."

She could not help but smile at the glee in his voice. "From what I have seen of Vikings in the movies shown in the city, they seem a far more dangerous enemy."

"True," John agreed as he shifted again beside her, his elbow bumping against hers as he huddled a little further under the blankets. "Is it always this cold here?"

"It can be far colder," she replied as she rubbed her feet together to try and regain some feeling in them.

"You warm enough?" John asked.

"The warmth should build soon," she replied, not wishing to lie directly to him, but not wishing to worry him.

"Reminds me of Antarctica," he said softly. "Though we had nice heated buildings there."

"Is it ice covered all year round there?" She asked curiously, for he rarely ever spoke of his time before Atlantis.

He nodded beside her, his profile sharply defined as if the air itself was crisp from the cold. "Saw a few guys lose a finger or toe to frostbite, but it was pretty easy living there. If you didn't mind being totally isolated from everything."

She knew from previous conversations with him that he had enjoyed the isolation at that time in his life. "Would you go back there if you had the choice?" She found herself asking.

She watched him as he considered his answer, as in the distance the soft sound of snoring began. "Not now," he replied, "Atlantis is my home." He turned his head to look at her and she nodded, understanding exactly how he felt. It pleased her to see the truth of that in him, that he was happy in the city, especially as she knew he had struggled for much of his life to feel settled and accepted.

"It seems to have that affect upon many of us," she agreed as she turned onto her side, facing towards him, huddling more effectively under the blankets. She settled deeply into the mattress, pulling her knees up a little, but careful not to bump John's side. In this position she could noticeably feel the greater warmth in the centre of the bed between them.

John nodded as he looked up towards the canvas ceiling overhead. "It sure does." The weight to his tone told her of the significance of it for him. "Still not regrets?" He asked, his head rolling slightly towards her again. "About still living away from your people," he clarified.

He had asked her this many times over the years, as if he never quite believed her answer the previous times. Perhaps he expected one day she would decide to leave the city and return to her people's way of life. Until recently, perhaps she had thought the same.

"I think of Atlantis as my home now as well," she replied. "Though, it remains important to me that Torren live some of his time among my people as he grows."

John nodded silently, his attention still turned towards her and the faint shine of his eyes told her that he watched her closely. She sensed a question in him that she wondered if he would ask.

"Not tempted to live back there with Torren?" He asked, surprising her.

"Atlantis can provide far more to my son than living permanently on New Athos could," she replied. "And Atlantis is our home," she repeated as she drew her arms up closely against her chest. The cold, though held at bay now by the growing warmth under the blankets, still felt sharp against her cheeks and her feet remained chilled.

"Good," John replied simply.

She smiled at him. "Have you feared I might choose to leave the team?" She asked, keeping her tone teasing, but her question was serious. She and John had strengthened their friendship of late, and in their teasing, almost flirtatious, manner with one another at times, she often felt able to broach subjects that before he would not have entertained discussing.

He shrugged slightly under the blankets. "Maybe," he admitted, surprising her again. "With all that's gone on for you and Torren recently," he said carefully and it was one of the first times he had directly referred to her break up with Kanaan.

She appreciated his honesty, so she felt she would respond in kind. "I will admit that the thought had occurred to me, but only briefly. It was certainly something Kanaan would have preferred."

John nodded and she saw him purse his lips slightly as he glanced away to the ceiling again briefly. "Yeah, we kind of got that feeling."

She felt a strange combination of embarrassment that the difficulties and differences between her and Kanaan had been so obvious, yet she also felt relieved that her friends had silently understood. And especially John.

"He would have preferred to raise Torren among our people full time," she shared. "But, I would never have left Atlantis," she assured him quietly, "As much as I love my people, and respect Kanaan, Atlantis is where Torren and I should be."

John had glanced at her partway through her words, and she knew that he had not missed the way she had phrased her point – that she loved her people, but that she was not in love with Kanaan. She cared for Kanaan still, and felt a love of sorts, but one that was clearly meant to remain based in friendship. It was important to her that John knew this distinction, if for no other reason than he might feel more comfortable discussing Kanaan in the future.

"Yes it is," John replied with a smile that seemed very genuine.

She smiled at him, appreciating the moment for what it was – open and honest. He returned her smile, but he was the first to look away as he shifted his arms under the blankets. He sighed out a cold shivery breath, and she could almost see the mist of his breath as it met chilled air above him.

"Should have put up the tent in here, would have been warmer," he muttered, the subject of Kanaan over for now it seemed. As she did so often with him, she accepted the change of subject.

"Would you believe that this season is one of the warmest?" She informed him as she pulled her knees up a little higher and squeezed her feet an inch closer to John's body heat.

"This is their _summer_?" John asked with pained disbelief.

She nodded, dipping her chin lower under the blankets. The warmth was building up in the bed now, but it seemed very slow to sink through her clothes let alone to her skin.

Silence fell, soft and cool.

The cattle shifted in the stalls occasionally, their breathing steady, and further away the occasion burst of Rodney's snores could be heard. She closed her eyes, wondering if doing so would help her relax into sleep and ignore the cold.

However, her thoughts turned to worrying once more if Ronon was alright back in the feasting hall.

"I hope that Ronon will be alright," she admitted out loud – sleep seeming a far off promise and she sensed that the same was true for John.

He let out a chuckling breath. "He'll be fine."

"You believe he might accept Hian's advances?" She asked out of interest. She had not asked Ronon about such matters, though she knew that he had been in a relationship with a woman before Sateda fell.

"Doubt it, he likes women," John replied.

Teyla opened her eyes to see his darkened profile again and she smiled. "People can be drawn to both sexes," she pointed out.

"Yes, they can," he replied with a smile in his voice, "but I know he had a 'lady friend' back on Sateda."

"Yes, Melena," she replied.

John rolled his head to look at her and she could see the surprised raise of his eyebrows. "You got her name out of him?"

She smiled. "Yes."

John pulled an impressed expression. "How'd you do that?"

"I asked him."

"Well, I could have done _that_," John replied, clearly not having ever thought to do so, and she smiled back.

"Don't think I've ever told anyone in the city my ex-wife's name," he considered quietly as if to himself.

"Nancy," she replied and he looked back at her with that another surprised look. "Ronon told me," she explained.

A frown with a dash of embarrassment seemed to cross his face and she instantly worried that she should not have broached this other delicate subject with him.

"He only mentioned her in passing, after you had returned from your father's funeral," she clarified quickly and carefully. "I am sure he will have told no one else but Rodney and I."

John pulled a half shrug. "It's okay," he replied equally as quickly. "I don't mind you guys knowing."

He let out a breath, and silence returned into the darkened space of the stall.

"Crazy how long ago it was now," he uttered quietly.

"It seems these past years have truly flown by so fast," she agreed as she huddled against her low Glisi pillow.

"And Torren's a year old. It seems like only yesterday he was born," he said thoughtfully.

"That day will forever be marked clearly in my mind," she replied with feeling.

"Yeah, for me too," he replied with a wince.

She winced in sympathy to recall the state he had been in during her rescue, that he had put himself at such risk to save her. She had known he would rescue her, but she regretted that he could have been lost to them from his injuries if not from Michael.

She could not help herself but reach out and touch his arm under the blankets, to make brief contact in thanks once more.

"A painful day for us both," she said. His arm was starkly warm and strong under her hand.

He glanced at her with a smile as she let go of his arm. The compulsion to shift closer to him, to press in towards the lure of his warmth and promise of comfort against the cold, was almost a shock through her. She blinked quickly as she focused on tucking her hand back against her, away from him.

"It was one of the best and worst days of my life," she busied herself in saying.

"I don't know," John replied, his tone clearly returned to his more comfortable teasing. "That mission to that planet with all the potholes would be up there for your worst days."

She looked at him with surprised dread and amusement, and he grinned at her instantly.

"You remember," he continued, clearly enjoying himself, "when you fell down that pit and you couldn't get back out?"

He always enjoyed recounting that particular mission, which had perhaps been one of the only times she had ever lost her temper in front of her friends and team mates. They however had found the situation highly amusing, and John in particular liked to recount it to others, though it had been some time since he had last mentioned it.

"I remember the three of you laughing near hysterically and not offering to assist me out of the hole," she replied, trying not to see any amusement in the memory, though that was becoming more difficult as time passed.

"We offered suggestions," he replied.

"Which did not work," she recalled. "I was stuck in that hole for half an hour until you eventually helped me out."

John sniggered, tempting her into laughter of her own. Thinking back it had been quite amusing. Each attempt to get out of the slick muddy hole had ended in her falling back down onto her backside, muttering and cursing her laughing team mates above.

"It was the best fall I've ever seen when you disappeared into it," John chuckled again. "Then you lectured those poor people for an hour afterwards."

She sighed, somewhat more for show than exasperation any more. "It was important for them to see the error of their approach. The Wraith could easily see the pits if they attacked, even at night as they have superior night vision, and if they were to fall into one of the pits, the Wraith would easily jump back out again."

"Unlike you," John couldn't help but add.

She gave him a good glare, trying not to show her amusement. She had not been at all amused at the time, especially when walking back to the Gate, covered in drying mud and leaf litter to the suppressed chuckles of her grown male team mates.

"We knew you weren't hurt," he justified, "And it's a rare day when we find something to tease you about."

"Yet, you always seem to find something," she pointed out.

He chuckled again, the sound deep and male, as he shifted around on the bed.

"Man, its cold here," he muttered as he turned onto his side, assuming a similar position as her now, turned towards her with one hand tucked up under his pillow.

"Yes, it is," she agreed as she allowed herself to shiver a little at the cold that had snuck under the top of the blanket as John had changed position.

It was easier to look at him now he was laid on his side, level with her, and a new feeling of isolation seemed to fall over the bed, as if lying like this, towards one another barely a foot apart, made the rest of the world fall away. Enough firelight crossed over the upper side of his face that she could still see most of his expression, but the deepened shadows added to the new sense of intimacy.

"You sure you're warm enough?" He asked as he snuggled his cheek a little further into his pillow, his eyes on her with a slightly worried frown.

"It is cold," she admitted, but with him lying in this new position, she could feel more of his body heat shared through the empty space between them under the blankets.

Truthfully, a deep womanly part of her would have preferred to reply that she would be warmest if he were to lie far closer to her, sharing his heat properly and allowing her to draw in the tempting deep scent of him that lingered across the mattress to her.

She cleared her throat against the unexpected rush of desire, and pressed her own cheek deeper into her pillow. Blinking rapidly to draw her wayward thoughts together she sought an easy subject of conversation with him, since it was clear that he was as awake as she was.

"I believe Torren will be taking his first steps any day now," she shared, though the subject had been discussed recently enough around the Mess Hall table.

"Yeah?" John asked with a smile. He always spoke of Torren with a warm, almost proud tone, which always pleased her. She wondered if she had brought up the subject now just to hear it again. "When Ronon and I took him with us to the gym yesterday he was looking like he was thinking about trying out a few steps."

She smiled, the image of John and Ronon, two large men, stood lovingly and carefully watching her son consider his first steps, a delight to her.

"He almost did so last night," she shared.

John's smile was encouraging. "You've got to catch it on camera when he does," he insisted. "Ronon won't want to miss it."

She grinned at that, for clearly John was the one keen to see Torren's first steps.

"I will attempt to keep the camera to hand," she promised. "I took him to the swimming pool again," she added. "I am encouraging him to walk with the support of the water, which I believe is helping."

"Cool," John replied. "Rodney said Keller went with you?"

"Yes, and I believe she was more nervous about Torren's safety than I was."

"So, you just splash about with Torren?"

She wondered if he wished to join them in their next visit to the pool. "Mostly, though Torren was the one who did the most splashing."

He grinned. "I've been heading down to the big pool twice a week or so, to swim some lanes before bed. You should try it, you know when Torren's with Kanaan. It's a great way of relaxing before bed."

"Have you not been sleeping well?" She asked, reading into that comment.

He shifted his cheek against his pillow, his hand emerging from under it to tuck one corner out the way under his chin. "Just had a lot of work recently," he replied, but it held the off-hand style of reply that told her there likely was something that was preoccupying his thoughts that he needed exercise to quell. She decided not to push for information for she sensed it would not be forthcoming.

"At least the security reports are all complete," she offered.

"Yeah, though there'll be a load of queries coming back when O'Neill and the IOA finish going over them," he replied. "You put your request for new quarters in yet?"

She almost smiled at his repeated request for updates on the matter. "Yes, and Mr Woolsey mentioned in passing to me his recommendation for the area of the tower he resides in."

"You thinking of living close to Woolsey?" He asked clearly surprised at the prospect.

"No," she admitted as she shivered against the chill finding a way in around her throat. She freed one hand and pulled the blanket up even higher, the uppermost edge brushing against her lower lip.

"You sure you don't want my jacket over you?" He offered.

She considered it, but currently her most pressing area in need of warmth were her feet. Even with the extra thick socks, her toes felt almost numb. She pondered the request for a moment, but surrendered to the need for more warmth. It would be foolish to lose a toe to pride.

"My feet are the coldest part of me," she admitted. "Perhaps another layer would help."

John lifted his cheek from his pillow to look down the bed towards their feet. "Don't think another layer will stay in place, there's only really one way to warm feet," he said as she felt his legs shift on the mattress and she understood his intention immediately.

It was with almost desperate anticipation that she slid her feet towards his and met the glorious warmth of his calves. His own thickly socked ankles and feet shifted around hers, trapping hers between his and the extra heat was almost painful it was so good on her frozen toes. She sighed with pleasure.

"That is a great improvement, thank you," she said with feeling.

He chuckled at her, but had to adjust how he was lying, his legs clearly not as comfortable in the new position due to the difference in the length of their bodies. The inside of his leg settled over the outside of her uppermost leg so that he could keep her feet between hers.

"Shorty," he muttered.

She glared at him. "As I see it, we are currently around the same height," she pointed out as she indicated how far both their shoulders reached above the mattress and he chuckled. She quickly tucked her hand back under warmth of the blankets.

It was a very new sensation to feel John's lower leg and feet around hers. It wasn't an overly intimate position to lie in, but it still felt somewhat groundbreaking. They had cared for one another on the battlefield, wrapping bandages around each other, supporting or even carrying each other, but such contact was very different from everyday personal life contact. Literally able to feel the weight and width of his leg and feet melted some drawn line inside her and the tension she had felt previously at her stray desirous thoughts drifted away with the chill from her toes. Why should she not enjoy this a little?

She nuzzled her cheek into her pillow, relaxing a little more with his added warmth, and allowed herself to just enjoy the feeling of lying so close to him, feeling his leg against hers and his body heat seeping into her.

00000  
TBC


	6. Plan B

**Note:** Sorry for not putting up a chapter yesterday (apologies especially to Nancy!) as I had a busy but great New Year's Eve, I hope you all did too. Happy 2013 everyone Xx

**Chapter 6 – Plan B **

The fire popped and sizzled faintly outside the stall, but it seemed that none of its heat made any difference anymore. The cold hung like a living chilling presence around her, banished away only by the gentle warmth trapped in the middle of the bed between her and John.

She leant a fraction further forward into that warmer space, hugging her arms closer to her body.

An especially loud snore echoed down from the other end of the building, bouncing off the walls and disturbing the cattle in the next stall.

"Poor Carson," John said with a sympathetic smile.

"You did not feel so sorry for him earlier," she pointed out with a smile of her own. "I am sure it is not too late for you to swap with him."

He pulled a face, but his eyes were sparkling in the low firelight. "Your cold toes would miss me."

She felt absurdly pleased at his playfulness. "I am sure Carson could warm my feet just as well," she told him, playing along.

John lifted his eyebrows, clearly surprised. "Or maybe," he suggested as he adjusted his cheek on his pillow, "Carson and I could share and you can warm your toes on the snoring scientist."

She pretended to think about it doubtfully as she watched John tuck his chin deeper into the soft Glisi pillow. Even his chin was attractive, and above it his softly smiling perfectly shaped lips. She found herself noticing acutely how his lower lip pouted slightly against the pillow's light fabric.

"Are you saying you would prefer to share with Carson?" She responded, putting a touch of surprise and tease in her tone.

He let out an amused breath. "He'd have warmer feet than you," he replied as he glanced down the bed and shifted his feet against hers, rubbing some more warmth into them.

"I am sorry," she apologised, though only half-heartedly because she was rather enjoying his affectionate concern. Her attention, however, was now drawn to how chilled her toes remained, so she wriggled them within her thick socks as John's feet tightened around hers, blanketing them further.

"It feels like it's getting colder in here," he observed more seriously as he huddled deeper under his side of the blankets.

She rolled her head back to look up at the canvas ceiling overhead where no hint of moon or starlight lit the fabric from the far side. "We can only hope we have reached the coldest part of the night." As she spoke she could see her breath clearly turn to mist as it met the cold air.

She huddled back against her pillow, tugging the blanket tighter around her neck. With her cold shoulders held so high up around her chin, her muscles were protesting at the continued tension. She tried to roll her neck to ease the tension whilst Rodney's snores continued loudly. She did not know how he could sleep so well when it was so cold, especially as he was usually the first to complain about any discomfort.

"I believe I would have to object to your former comment on this being the best of missions," she said as she shivered.

"No one's shooting at us though," he replied as he shifted under his end of the blankets, pulling them tighter around his own shoulders and she felt somewhat pleased that even he was feeling uncomfortable in the growing cold. "So I still say it's a win," he concluded.

She rolled her eyes theatrically at him.

"And we're not stuck in a bed with the snoring king," he added with a strained smile.

She nodded her agreement at his point, but she didn't reply. It did feel as if the air was growing colder with each passing moment now. She pulled her legs a little higher, pressing them further within John's to share more of his warmth.

John adjusted his uppermost leg over hers, but she could feel that he was far cooler than before – it was definitely growing colder.

He craned his head up to look out of the stall with a frown. "Fire's still going out there, but I don't think the heat is making much of a difference anymore."

She nodded as she pressed her fists tightly into the tight space of her armpits, where the most heat was trapped.

"I think we need to go to Plan B," John suggested with a suppressed shiver, his breath a visible cloud.

She looked at him hopefully, her teeth rattling together. "We have a Plan B?"

"How about we prop the pillows together and wrap the blankets around us, huddle up sleeping bag style," he suggested.

The idea appealed instantly and, feeling so unbearably cold, she thought no further than the logical promise of sharing body heat. "It would probably be best," she agreed as she immediately began to move.

John disentangled his leg and feet from around hers, leaving her missing their presence, but the prospect of huddling up with him had promise enough to get her quickly moving with him to push their pillows together in the middle of the bed. She reached under her and pulled the edge of the blankets around under her. John's hand met hers, shockingly chilled through, and he helped by tugging on the edge pulling the blanket under them as she held herself up on elbow and knee to let the blanket pass under her to form the underside of their sleeping bag.

Their timing was misjudged at one point and resulted in him tugging her forward with the blanket and she had to steady herself against his shoulder. Chuckling together, they adjusted the blanket and flattened it out under them.

"I'll get the bottom end," John offered as he let out a quick breath and then sat up partly out of the protection of the blankets to reach down the bed and tug the bottom of their impromptu sleeping bag into place under and around their feet. As he did so, the cold immediately began to fill the bed, but Teyla busied herself with spreading out the blankets ready for him to lie back into. The far end of the bed sorted, John quickly shifted into the middle of the blankets alongside her, visibly shaking with his exposure to the cold air.

Keeping her end of the blankets around her back, her only protection against the sharp ragged cold, she waited patiently on her side as he reached to his left and pulled the other end of the blankets up around his back.

He then turned to her, the longer length of the blanket in his hand, and he paused, clearly assessing how best to approach their huddling together. Eager to complete the wrapping up of the blankets and shut out the cold, which was now making her teeth chatter enough that her jaw ached to control it, she shifted on her lower elbow and hip towards him, right into the very middle of the bed. He took her cue, and as she moved, he slid his right arm under the edge of the pillows, creating the space for her to move further forward into his half embrace so they would both be lying on their sides towards each other.

With a thrill that was a little hard to enjoy when feeling so frozen through, she shifted right up into his personal space, pulling her end of the blankets up over them and settling them over his uppermost side, whilst he wrapped the upper most end of the blankets over her with his left arm, completing their wrapping.

His scent and warmth engulfed her instantly; his wide lean body leant partly against hers. He was so warm, even though she could feel the outer layers of his clothes had caught the chill of the air, but beneath them she could feel the promise of his body heat. She completed their embrace, settling properly against him as he wrapped the top part of their sleeping bag further around her back. Her cheek met the welcoming nest of his inner shoulder, and the heat of his chest poured through his faintly chilled clothing to meet her skin. She drew her arms up immediately against him, trapping her hands flat between their bodies to absorb the heat of him. His upper leg once more wrapped around over hers and his feet found her own, trapping them securely between his.

She had embraced John a few times over the years, but this was different, this felt like being encompassed by him. His arm under her, tightened around her back, securely holding her against him as he shifted up slightly to reach down their wrapped bodies to secure the top layer of blankets further down the bed. She moved with him willingly, her entire being focused on absorbing the blissful new heat, happy to let him move her as needed, or even carry her anywhere he wanted – she did not care, she felt so much better against him.

She burrowed her cheek and nose deeper against his warm top and let out a loud happy sigh, which she did not need to exaggerate in the least.

John let out a brief laughing breath, the sound loud and intimate with them pressed so close. "Better?" He asked, his voice shockingly close to her ear.

"I approve of Plan B," she admitted with feeling. "So much warmer."

He chuckled again, lifting up a little more, his right arm still tight around her upper back holding them in their half embrace whilst he adjusted the sleeping bag, and she felt the last sliver of chill disappear from around the back of her knees.

"How are the feet?" John asked, his voice deep and soft, and so very close to her ear that it sent a shiver of a different kind through her.

She focused on wriggling her toes to assess them in answer to his question, "A vast improvement," she replied, having to lift her chin from him enough to speak.

"No draughts?" John asked, looking down the bed.

She pulled her head further back from his tempting chest to assess the 'sleeping bag' with a more focused mind. With one of his arms out of the blankets as he adjusted them, there was some cold air sneaking in around their necks, but that was it, the rest of her was considerably more comfortable than before.

"Not once you settle," she assured him.

Lying back slightly in the cradle of his supporting arm, she could see more of his face now, though mostly the hard line of his jaw and chin, and the dark shadowed lines of his throat. He was so close, and she found she could not draw her gaze away from the beauty of him.

"Just making sure you're all wrapped up tight," he replied with a soft smile as he reached further down the bed and she felt the blankets fall heavier at the level of her lower back and suddenly she was even warmer.

"That _is_ better, but you are getting cold," she pointed out again as she tugged the top of the blankets further up over his chest. As she did so, her palm pressed flat against his chest, feeling the warmth of him again, but also the gentle strong thump of his heart deep beneath her touch. The sudden awareness of its beat, combined with the press of his body against hers, drove a new internally driven warmth through her.

The rush of proper physical desire was shocking, for never before had she felt it quite so overtly. Pressed so close to him, the dark shadows and firelight gloriously outlining the handsome angles of his profile, lips and throat, his deep warmth glowing out of his broad male body, all teased at her senses in a way that she had not allowed herself to enjoy before.

The gentle teasing attraction she had felt previously had little on this raw feminine reaction. She drew in his scent deeply as he shifted again, bringing them tighter together as he adjusted the last of the blankets over the back of her shoulders. His arm high over her, made her feel even more surrounded by him, and her eyes strayed back to the line of his jaw and the fullness of his lips.

She had no defence against him, and a mutinous part of her wished none in this moment.

She hoped that her reaction was not obvious to him, that her own fast beating heart could not be felt vibrating into him while held so close. It was as if he cast a spell upon her, wrapping her up in his presence, stealing her thoughts of anything but pure feminine enjoyment of him, surrendering to his hold and his care.

She could feel his gentle touch against her back as he tucked the corner of the blankets in under her to keep her warm, sealing them both in properly together and shutting out the cold.

"That should do it," he uttered, seemingly finally satisfied with their 'sleeping bag'.

She smiled at his precision, his words having broken through the spell enough for her to begin pulling her thoughts away from the desirous and onto the fact that he still had not settled down properly himself. She settled more of her weight onto her side, aware that he had been supporting most of her in his arm and against his chest. She almost smiled at her obvious enthusiasm to absorb his heat, and a touch of embarrassment at it too. She pulled the pillows more securely under her and preparing them for him to finally lay down his head.

He finally slipped his chilled arm under the blankets, but instead of settling down properly with her, he shifted again. She opened her mouth to protest, for he needed to settle and embrace the warmth himself, but her vision was suddenly entirely filled with the darkened lines of his cheek once more, distracting her mind from her protest. He was so close, cutting out the firelight above her, and his chin lowered. She realised what was happening only an instant before his lips touched down against hers.

The reality of his mouth, of the warm press of his soft lips, shattered everything. It was no understatement to say that she felt her life change abruptly and irrevocably forever in that instant, as fantasy and imaginings manifested suddenly and with an intensity that blanked her mind and expanded the reality of the touch of his lips.

Strangely, in that expanded aching moment, she flashed back to when she had first met him, how she had stood and watched him enter the tent among the strangers. How she had stepped forward and spoken with him, looking up into his eyes and had felt the good nature and honesty in him. It had forged a strange sense of connection that had had her trusting him from that moment onwards, as if she had known in an instant his importance to her on a deep level that she would not have thought possible. She had explained away that reaction since as having been due to part natural intuition, some part enjoyment of his flirtatious charm, and the uniqueness of the situation of meeting those from another galaxy. She had even considered that it had been fate guided by the Ancestors. The theories had fallen away over the years though, as their friendship had grown and, as part of his team and his people, she had been able to influence events she would never have thought possible. And that first initial trust she had then felt for him had seemed understandable and natural.

Only now, she knew that had all been only the overlying layers to what she truly felt, that beneath it all there had always been this deep raw desire and a powerful love that had grown and shone brighter with time, even while she had striven to deny both. She had pretended to herself that such feelings and thoughts were foolish, were fantasy alone, though barely aware of the depth of them herself until now. For no one person could change your life so completely with a smile, with an offer of friendship.

Or with a kiss.

His lips began lifting from hers slowly, the expanded moment snapping back to sharp real time, and she felt sudden disappointment that the moment was ending. As encompassing as it had been, it was already over, barely a split second of time, and now reality returned as if it a bubble had been popped loudly as his lips parted from hers.

She drew in a breath, his masculine scent, the faint edge of wood smoke, and the sharp feel of cold air all sizzling across her raw senses as she opened her eyes. Dark shadows filled her view, but her sensitive adjusted eyes captured the faint glow across his cheek and temple where he held close to her. He hadn't moved back an inch from when their lips had parted, and she could actually feel the warmth of him glowing across the tiny space between their lips.

She saw the shift of shadows within shadows as his eyelashes lifted, and saw the shine of light against his eyes, which were focused down on her mouth to slowly begin to drift up her face.

She moved without any thought, for what was there to consider?

Lifting only the fraction necessary, she touched her lips up against his.

She felt the momentarily pause in him, perhaps as he processed his own surprise at being kissed by her for the first time. Then his lips softened and pressed heavier against hers. She heard his sharply drawn in breath and felt his arm tighten under her, drawing her further against him. She flattened her palms against his chest, where they were nestled between them for warmth. Once more the strong thumping of his heart vibrated through her touch, the speed of it now far more significant.

Kissing her made his heart race.

Her breath running out, she relaxed her head back the tiny amount necessary to part their lips enough to allow in some air, before she tilted her head to press her lips against his at a closer angle. The taste of him exploded into her consciousness, and it was as intoxicating as his deep masculine scent continued to be - lulling and drawing her into seeking more, to feel more of him.

There was a whole new wealth of knowledge of him needing to be discovered now – a deeper kiss, the feel of how his tongue would feel against hers, to follow the line of his shoulders and neck, to measure the weight of his body over hers, and to feel the deepest intimate connection, which all felt part of the natural progression from that first reaction she had felt upon meeting him. That possible future discovery seemed to open before her now, like a new unwritten, unread book, drawing her forward with a roaring feminine need and delight felt throughout her body.

She parted her lips from his in a soft gasp as the feeling rushed over her, her heart hammering and her glowing body pushing away any trace of the cold. She drew in another breath, struggling a little to rein in her spiralling desire. Only his mouth brushed against hers again, chasing away the promise of logical thought that had almost broken through, and this time as they met, his lips parted further against hers. She pressed her mouth more forcefully to his in response, desperate to fulfil the kiss, and the sweet touch of his tongue brushed against her lower lip within the seal of the kiss.

She became aware of the feel of his cheek under her fingers, that she had reached up out of the blankets and had cupped his jaw, her thumb now grazing across beard growth that rasped faintly against her skin.

His mouth parted wider, and she pressed forward, entangling her tongue with his, and she felt the abrupt sensual response ripple through him as much as it did through her.

One deep stroking smooth kiss became another, and she threw herself into the pure stark feel of body heat, soft lips, and sliding wet tongues. Nothing existed but the flowing dance of their kisses, following a rhythm and instinct that poured out of them both without thought, without restriction or any more denial. There was only the pure pleasure, the feel, the touch, the fullness of her senses with him, and nothing else.

Abruptly, there was a rough loud squeal of large hinges under pressure and the bang of wood against wood.

She snapped her mouth from John's and they both looked round shocked.

The sounded repeated, this time with the loud slam of what was clearly the far door of the building banging shut.

She and John sat up quickly, alert and ready for action. She strained her hearing, anxious to hear what was happening.

Only then Carson's very calm voice drifted to her ears.

"Aye, he's been asleep since his head hit the damn pillow," muttered Carson. "You'd think someone with insomnia would find it more difficult to sleep in this cold."

"Whatever," Ronon's gruff voice responded deeply through the building. "Kick him."

Aware that nothing immediately threatening was occurring, the tension of her fight or flight reaction broke, and Teyla let out a relieved sigh. She felt John do the same, felt the relaxing of muscles in his arm which she had grabbed as they had sat up together, somewhat encumbered by their sleeping bag arrangement.

John lengthened his neck to peer out towards of their stall's entrance. "Everything alright, Chewy?" He called, still with a touch of caution.

"Fine," Ronon replied simply.

Teyla strained to hear any indication of emotion in his voice. Had Hian made a move? Had Ronon started a political incident if he had turned the offer down? It then also occurred to her that he may be heading down this end of the building to use the spare bed opposite her and John's. He would see her and John wrapped up tightly together...

However, she heard the distant sound of blankets being roughly shaken out down the far end of the building. He had chosen the spare bed closest to the door.

"He just starts snoring again when I shove him," Carson was saying quietly.

"I could stun him," Ronon suggested.

John, who had been starting to relax beside her, tensed up again. "No stunning him," he ordered loudly. "We'd never hear the end of it," he added.

There was an indistinct grumbling response from Ronon, and Teyla saw John frown at the sound, suspecting as she did that it was some choice words on the order. John tilted his head, clearly listening for any telltale burst of stunner fire.

None arrived.

He looked at her and she had to smile. "He doesn't sound happy," he noted.

She could comment that she wasn't entirely pleased herself, for her heart was hammering in her chest and she was feeling faintly breathless from their kisses. Looking at John now, still wrapped up close together in the blankets, the significance of their kiss was even more apparent. His arm was still partly around her back, and her hands on his chest and arm. Her gaze trailed unbidden to his mouth in the firelight. She felt uncentered, and abruptly cautious at what would now happen. If she could just get her breath back and calm her heart rate down.

"He had no Glisi escort," John commented on Ronon, the question delivered in his normal tone, though she detected his own breathing was somewhat uneven. She felt very grateful for that small sign that he was as affected. "Think that's a bad sign?" He asked.

She blinked quickly to force her brain into action and belatedly understanding his concern. "The Glisi highly respect Runners," she informed him, rather pleased with her steady voice. "They would allow Ronon to move around the camp by himself."

John nodded with what appeared to be honest relief. "So no angry Vikings are likely to arrive hammering at the door for him?"

"No," she replied with a smile, feeling calmer and more a little more in control of herself now.

He nodded again, the action a little exaggerated. "Okay, good," he uttered and he shivered slightly as he did, the cold air swarming around their shoulders now that they were sat up. Distracted by the cold herself, she released her hold of him to begin to pull the blankets back up higher around her shoulders.

A new unspoken electric tension began to fill the enclosed space around her and John. The more familiar awkwardness of him seemed to return and his arm relaxed a little around her back, and she looked up at him from her blanket adjustments to see that he was frowning slightly.

"Why do they respect Runners so much?" He asked, appearing somewhat casual in his question, but she suspected it was designed to fill the moment between them.

Struggling to ignore the growing cold around her, despite sitting in the blankets with him, she huddled her shoulders and made herself look at him directly. "I believe it is because Runners survive in all situations, and have excellent night vision," she replied, shivering abruptly. John's arm tightened back around her in response, and she smiled gratefully up at him.

"Everyone respects Runners," Ronon called out loudly from the far end of the building, with some challenge in his tone to suggest otherwise.

Shocked and amused that he had heard her and John talking, she froze and shared a surprised expression with John.

"Of course they do," John called back to Ronon, and Teyla chuckled quietly at the sheepish/amused expression he sent her way afterwards. He then dipped his head down close to hers, kicking up her heart rate abruptly once more. "They also have the superhuman hearing," he whispered and she grinned.

His voice so soft and amused, teased at her, and with its gentle playfulness and intimacy of leaning so close to her, she felt herself relaxing. His arm slid further around her and a shiver, born of the sensual instead of the cold, danced through her. John however assumed it was from the cold still bothering her, which was not entirely untrue, but she said nothing in protest as he pulled her back against him with a faintly worried frown. She was happy enough with the misunderstanding as she settled back against his warmth, for though a massive line had been crossed between them, it still felt delicately new and delicate. With Ronon's sharp hearing now apparent, this new change between her and John would not be discussed tonight, but instead of that feeling like a restriction, she actually felt considerable freedom in it. The bright light of tomorrow might alter matters for John, and likely would bring up potential difficulties that beginning a relationship might impose, but right now, they had the simple purity of sharing each other's embrace and warmth for the night.

Back in his embrace, returned into the sweet enclosed warmth place of his inner shoulder, they leant back down to the bed, wrapped up in their 'sleeping bag' together.

The mattress had cooled in the short time they had been sat up from it, but with the heat contained within their blankets it was not so shocking this time. The cooled pillow did not bother her overly either, for as John set about rearranging the blankets tightly around them again, she simply nestled against him.

Feeling both vulnerable and yet liberated in her new found pleasure, she snuggled her arms in between their chests, turning her upmost hand over to lie her palm back against his heartbeat. The solid thump amidst the regained warmth and comfort, his arm around her and his feet once more securely around hers, chased away all the cold within moments.

The blankets in place, John finally settled properly down in the bed, his upper arm slipping under the blankets to wrap around her shoulders. She freed once hand from between them enough to tug up the top of the blankets and ensure that he was entirely protected from the cold. She slipped her hand over his shoulder to secure the blankets around the back of his neck, briefly grazing against his skin as she did. She felt the subtlest feel of his smile against her forehead. She slid her fingers back between their chests and John pulling back a fraction to make way for her chilled hand. Once she pressed her palm back against his chest, he tightened his gentle hold around her, and she nestled properly back into his embrace once more.

She settled her cheek back against his shoulder and closed her eyes. The first promise of sleep tugged at her now that she was warm. She inhaled deeply and let it out as a long gentle sigh, pushing away the lingering tension in her body to make way for the relaxation of sleep. His deep scent filled her lungs and she burrowed her nose a little further against him.

She had no idea what tomorrow might bring for them, what complications might unfold, but right now he felt wonderful.

As she drifted into half sleep, she felt his lips brush against her forehead with a soft whisper of a kiss.

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TBC


	7. Honest Words

**Note:** Wow, so my plans to post these chapters up quickly fell by the wayside! After having internet problems, including being completely unable to access Livejournal for three days, I was so busy at work that I've only just gotten this chapter checked through.  
It seems as well, that though I had thought this fic complete, it appears to be evolving as I write. I've just finished off chapter 9, only to find it had to lead into another one, so I think I still have another couple of chapters to write yet to finish it off! I would say I'm sorry Jeyla, but I know you're happy with this development  
Thank you everyone for the ongoing reviews for this fic, all are greatly appreciated. I'm glad so many took particular interest in the Glisi, for they will be showing up in my next big Alliance fic I will be starting very soon. Happy 2013 everyone. Wedj Xx

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**Chapter 7 – Honest Words **

A substantial new snowfall had fallen in the night, piling several more inches into the forest through the narrow breaks between the trees, and dusting the rest in a fluffy new top layer of snow. It crunched loudly under Teyla's boots with a satisfying sound as she walked, carefully working her way round the deeper drifts of snow between the contrastingly dark trees. It was still cold, despite the warm gold of the sunshine glowing through the branches overhead. It had been an ice cold night, even when sharing a bed and wrapped up tightly in the blankets with John, she had woken repeatedly throughout the night feeling the deepening chill against her neck and shoulders. Each time she had woken, she had surfaced into sleepy consciousness just long enough to respond to the instinctive need to protect herself from the cold. To do so, she had simply snuggled up closer to John, who had remained a glowing source of deep warmth, though she had been aware of him being somewhat restless as well, wrapping himself closer around her and pulling the blankets up as high as possible over them both.

Waking in the cold dark during those times, as uncomfortable as it had been, she had still indulged in the reality of John's presence with her. She had enjoyed the feel of his arms around her, his leg draped over hers and the deep steady sound of his breaths. His chest and embrace had become a solace of protection and heat into which she had buried without thought throughout the long night.

Despite that silver lining, as the Earth saying went, it had still been a restless and unsatisfying night's sleep, only compounded by the fact that they had all been woken early and sharply by Winat's loud arrival into the building announcing it was time to wake. The Glisi believed that everyone should be awake as the sun rose over the forest, in case of Wraith attack in the sunlight. Winat had seemed to take great delight in pronouncing morning salutations against the muttering and moaning of Rodney and Carson's guff complaints in turn.

She had had little time to properly enjoy waking in John's arms, for on hearing Winat's voice moving closer down the building, she had struggled up in the bed, eager to comply with the Glisi order and also being somewhat concerned that Winat would comment loudly to the others upon finding her wrapped up tightly with John. So she had wrestled her way out of the blankets to Winat's calls asking if she was awake yet to meet the day. As she had replied, she had pushed herself sleepily to the edge of the bed, barely aware of the fact that her tops had ridden right up her back. John's hand had brushed down her back, righting her clothing as she had stumbled off the bed – it had been a thoughtfully endearing act that she had not processed until later. She had been too sleepy and cold to think beyond answering Winat's call as he had neared the entrance to the stall in which she and John had shared a very cold long night together. She wondered if she would ever be a comfortable temperature again.

After waking them this morning, Winat had led them to a wash hut, which had been an excessively hot and humid space, due to the constantly boiling pots of water kept over the fire for the camp's washing needs. It had been almost more of a shock on her system than the cold, and though the heat had begun to ease into her slightly the humidity had been very uncomfortable. Winat had returned for them in short order and they had once again stepped out into the freezing world, which had felt even colder than before due to the contrast to the wash hut. She had somewhat grudgingly following behind the others through the new deepened snow to the feasting hall, struggling to smile and be polite despite her less than happy demeanour. She had managed to maintain polite conversation with the Glisi over the morning meal of strong tea and thick bread smothered with a berry jam, but the low fires in the feasting hall hadn't been enough to warm her through properly. Now however, the trading talks completed for now, at least until Mr Woolsey and the IOA finalised the trade agreement with the Glisi, the prospect of returning to the warmth of Atlantis had her striding as quickly as possible through the snow filled forest. Through the cold deep snow.

It was a crisp fresh morning at least, and her senses felt somewhat clearer now she had eaten and the exercise was warming her under her coats, but the lack of a good night's sleep made her still feel somewhat out of sorts. The others appeared to be equally as grumpy and unrested as she was, with the strange exception of Rodney, who had slept all through the night and was in very bright spirits this morning.

"I'm telling you, I could take to this place," Rodney was saying now. "Good food, big comfy bed, what's not to like."

Ronon made a negative scoffing noise as his response.

"That's because you were able to sleep last night, Rodney," Carson argued quite tetchily as he stomped through the knee deep snow drift ahead of Teyla.

"And it was the best night's sleep I've had in ages," Rodney replied cheerfully.

Teyla frowned at him, trying not to resent him, but the memories of his echoing snores were almost as prevalent through the night as waking from the cold.

"Maybe it was snuggling up with Carson that did it," John suggested cheekily from the front of their wandering caravan back to the Gate.

Teyla's gaze slid to him, only a few metres ahead of her, leading Rodney and Carson, whilst she and Ronon took the six. She thought John's comment particularly amusing considering that he had spent the night snuggled up with her.

They had had no proper opportunity to speak with each other alone, or manage more than brief eye contact all morning. In those moments though, she had sensed no regret or embarrassment in John, and when they had sat beside each other in the feasting hall, he had offered her the bowl of jam with a smile and look in his eyes that had felt very new and had set an excited reaction through her. She had smiled back and taken the food from him, looking away and then back to him with a new smile of her own. He had looked very pleased with that tiny exchange as they had returned their attention to the Glisi. Through the meal, through conversations on trade and the Wraith, she had felt acutely aware of him next to her at all times – his presence familiar and enjoyable, yet also new and unfamiliar in an excitingly new way.

"I couldn't stand it next to him," Carson said grumpily ahead of her, snapping Teyla's wandering thoughts back on the conversation at hand. "Ronon was gracious enough to let me sleep on one side of his bed for the better part of the night."

"Still could hear him snoring," Ronon muttered from behind Teyla and she glanced over her shoulder, trying not to smile, to see the pouting sulky expression on her friend's face. She looked away before she smiled at his frown, and saw John looking back as well and they shared an amused grin at Ronon's expense.

Only Carson had also so John's amusement. "You're sharing with Rodney next time, John," Carson muttered.

"You all need to learn to relax a bit," Rodney stated, to which they all snapped their attention to him in disbelief. "What?" He asked at their sudden combined attention.

Teyla frowned at Rodney as she strode out of a deeper section of snow. "I am beginning to suspect that perhaps it might have been the alcoholic content of your meal last night that allowed you to sleep so well and feel so relaxed today," she suggested.

"You may be right," Carson considered, suddenly sounding more usual his cheerful self. "You did eat a whole lot more of that meat sauce than the rest of us."

"About five legs of it, that I counted," John supplied.

"I didn't eat _that_ much," Rodney protested, but his tone suggested otherwise.

"There you go, Teyla's right," Carson concluded.

Rodney stopped in the snow, his gloved hands held out in protest. "Why does she have to be right? Why can't I just have had a good night's sleep?"

"Come on, McKay," John replied from the front of their group, smiling over his shoulder. "You were drugged up, face it."

Teyla grinned as she passed Rodney, whose former good mood had lapsed back into his more standard annoyance.

"I _wasn't_ drugged up," he protested as Ronon pushed against his back to keep him walking. "Hey!" He grumbled, but began moving forward again.

"You think we could trade for some of that stuff?" John asked back towards her, his gaze meeting hers with a smile. "Maybe add it to his MREs?"

Carson laughed. "I've suggested before that he should be medicated."

"How very professional of you to say, _Doctor_," Rodney protested.

"Lighten up, McKay," Ronon added. "Or we won't get you any."

Trying not to laugh at her friend, Teyla sought to soften the jokes on Rodney.

"It is good that you had such a good night's sleep, Rodney," she offered.

He looked back at her with a faint smile.

"He'll need his bottle soon though," John added from the front.

"His laced bottle," Carson muttered loud enough for them to hear.

"Yes, yes, very funny. Why does every mission have to involve tormenting me in some way?" Rodney complained.

Up ahead the Gate came into view through the trees, and the promise of returning to the fully heated city added extra speed to her steps as they stomped through the snow towards the DHD. To the sound of Rodney's not so quiet mutterings, John dialled the Gate and, once the wormhole pulled back into its smooth ripples, they all moved swiftly towards it. Light steam was rising from the Gate as they reached it, the ice and snow evaporating away, and Teyla forced herself pull her attention away from John as they all stepped through.

The warmth of the city was an instant rush of welcomed relief, and ahead of her, Carson and John both let out an audible sigh of relief.

As the Gate deactivated behind them, Mr Woolsey was already descending the staircase towards them. "Good morning, everyone," he greeted with a bright smile. "I trust everything went well?"

"Great," John replied first as he battled out of his scarf and hood, "though I wouldn't take them up on their hotel accommodation."

"How was it left with the Glisi leaders?" Woolsey asked, glancing between John and her.

Unwrapping her own ice speckled scarf from around her throat, she moved closer, smiling up at the city's leader. "They are looking forward to meeting you and are more than happy with all our requests. Some more clarification on the specifics of their restrictions on the use of illumination and use of the local wood will need to be discussed, but otherwise they are very happy to trade with us."

"Excellent," Woolsey replied with a large smile. "How much longer will they be near enough to the Gate to complete talks?"

"No more than ten days I would say, perhaps less," she replied honestly.

"I think we have quite a bit to offer them in terms of medical equipment as well," Carson added. "Their low infection rate is very interesting and their healers are willing to supply some blood samples for research."

"Excellent," Woolsey repeated. "I think we should follow up on this visit quickly. If you could all submit your reports this morning, do you think a small medical team could accompany me to visit with them tomorrow, Dr Beckett?"

"I should think so, as long as Dr Keller authorises it," Carson replied tactfully.

"Of course," Woolsey replied, clearly pleased. "Then, I look forward to your reports." And with that he turned and marched away back up the staircase.

Stripping off layers of coats, the team turned away to leave the Gate Room.

"Make sure you dress warmly," John warned the departing Woolsey as they passed the staircase.

Reports to complete and a hot shower to enjoy, Teyla was looking forward to getting back to her quarters. However, as they entered the corridor, the others talking away, she couldn't stop her gaze from repeatedly returning to John in front of her. It was with a nervous excitement, of which she tried to keep some control, that she wondered how the rest of the day would proceed. She and John would need to talk over what had happened, but she found, despite her knowledge of John as her friend, she realised she had difficulty predicting exactly how he would approach today's discussion. She was very much looking forward to it though.

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Two hours later, following a wonderfully warm shower and wrapping herself up in warm dry clothes, she had completed her report and sent it to Mr Woolsey, leaving her with an hour until she was due to travel to New Athos to collect Torren. She made herself some tea and settled on her sofa with a new book Jennifer had leant her. Her mind wandered rather frequently away from the text though, lingering through memories of soft kisses and warm blankets. Anticipation was a constant partner for her, and any faint sound within ear shot had her looking towards her door, waiting to see if he would visit her before she had to leave for Athos. She knew he had to report directly to Mr Woolsey following their return, so she could only wait to see when he would visit her.

She had managed to read half of a chapter before the door's chimes rang out. Dropping the book to the table, she swiftly left the sofa, but made herself calm her pace across the room. It might not even be him.

She waved her hand over the crystals and the doors parted to reveal John stood outside, looking tall and dark in his uniform. Nervous excitement took full force in her chest, but she made herself appear calm as she smiled up at him, hoping not too much of her glee was on display.

"John," she greeted him.

"Hey," he said at almost the same time with a smile. Like she was back in the days of youthful love, she felt her stomach flip and nervous excitement dance across her nerve endings. It did not miss her notice that she had never felt anything like this with Kanaan. She had almost forgotten how it could exist.

"Do come in," she offered immediately, moving back to allow him in. It went without saying between them that nothing personal could be said in ear's shot of anyone in the corridor outside.

He moved immediately forward into her quarters, and she stepped back far enough to give him room to enter.

His eyes held hers as he did - the unusual green shining and open in a way she hadn't seen before. It made her stomach dance again, sending sparkles of delight through her chest. She had to break her eyes from his momentarily for she could feel the warmth rising to her cheeks. Only, she realised her gaze had swept down his body instead as he had moved forward into her quarters, her door sliding shut behind him.

She registered that he had stopped, just inside her quarters, and snapped her eyes back up to his face, to see him looking around her quarters almost cautiously.

"I wasn't sure if you'd be off to pick up Torren," he said, apparently having been looking for her son.

"No, not yet," she replied before she checked her watch, "I need to leave in a little under forty minutes."

She looked back up at him and met his gaze once more. A new interesting tension was buzzing between them – it was somewhat awkward and cautious, but also sparkling with potential. His eye contact was once again far more direct than normal for him, his eyes seeming darker now, and the flush of warmth repeated through her, only sinking a little lower this time.

What had occurred between them last night, though a natural progression of what had lingered between them, be it unspoken, had been a massive step. It had forever changed their friendship and had opened the door to so much more. She knew that John was someone who would be cautious in any such change, especially one that would involve close emotions, but she was aware that she was a little cautious herself. He meant so much to her, and with just prolonged eye contact, her body reacted in ways she had not felt for a very long time. The power he had over her was immense, she realised, perhaps it had always been, but she would not pull back in fright from that fact.

Silence hung between them, full of so much unsaid, and teetering on the verge of something perhaps wonderful or deeply destructive if he had changed his mind in the hours since their return from the Glisi home world. That thought, worrying and breaking through the delightful warmth, had her senses snapping back to sharp intensity. She felt the desperate need to break the charged quiet.

"I was having some tea before I leave, would you like to join me?" she offered, indicating the sofa and coffee table where her half finished cup sat next to her book.

"Sure, great," he replied instantly, and she swore she could feel the shift in the emotional air between them, and she thought he looked as relived as she felt. Together they turned from the door and moved towards her sofa, a place she had sat so frequently with him before now. "I'm almost getting a taste for these Athosian teas," he said conversationally.

She smiled over her shoulder as she led the way into the space between sofa and table. "I will get you a cup," she said as she moved around the far end of the sofa and collected up a clean cup from the small stack set beside her electric kettle, which Rodney had set up for her some time ago now. It had been one of the most thoughtful of gifts from him.

"Did your meeting with Mr Woolsey go well?" She asked as she turned back.

"Yeah," John replied as he let out a long sigh as he sat down on the sofa as she rounded the end of it. "But, I've just had to live through an hour long meeting with him, Zelenka, and the engineering team who'll be setting up the research post on the Glisi planet."

She gave him a sympathetic smile as she picked up the teapot and swirled its contents with long practiced skill. It struck her at that moment though, looking down at John sat comfortably on her sofa, how frequently he had been in her quarters recently. She had known he, and her other friends, had been concerned to help her through her break up with Kanaan, and assist her with Torren's care, but now it occurred to her that John must have had little interest in helping her recover from parting from Kanaan. Yet, he had spent more time sat on her sofa, or on the floor with Torren, this past week than ever before. In the light of what had happened between them last night, she suddenly realised that perhaps she should have seen it coming. In foolishly trying not to show her own feelings, she had perhaps missed seeing his own. If he had been Athosian, she would have considered his closer presence these last weeks as 'moving closer' or, as Rodney had referred to the term in the past, 'wooing' in Earth culture.

The thought stirred her feelings as she poured tea into his cup. "Mr Woolsey and Radek appear very eager for the research station," she said, her mind somehow working on the conversation still, despite her internal revelation.

"Very eager," John replied with feeling, "The engineers already have the plans set up and are ready to go as soon as Woolsey finalises things with the Glisi."

She nodded as she handed him his cup, their hands brushing as the cup was transferred between them. "I have to admit that I am not entirely sure what it is that they wish to study there," she considered as she picked up her own cup and topped up the tea inside.

"Something about studying the environment there and any potential reasons why the Wraith can't detect the Glisi," he replied before taking a good sip of his tea. "And Zelenka was excited about certain physics experiments that can be done in such a cold place," he added. "Something about natural super cooling, I faded out around about that point."

She smiled with him as she sat down on the sofa alongside him, her cup warm in her hand. She chose to sit a fraction closer to him than normal, and she thought she saw him notice that in the way his eyes dropped slightly down her as she shuffled further back to sit more comfortably against the back of the sofa beside him.

"I have to admit I was a little surprised that the Glisi are so willing to allow us to set up such a post by the Gate," she considered.

"Maybe they like the idea that any Wraith that come through the Gate will find us first," John half joked as he took another gulp of his tea.

She shook her head at him. "Perhaps, but it is still very trusting of them."

John nodded. "I would bet money that they'll do some random spot checks on the research post though," he suggested as he took another drink of his tea and then leant forward to set the cup back onto the table. "But, I think it's probably not _us_ that they have the trust in," he added as he sat back, now at a slight angle towards her.

She caught his unspoken and pointed look a moment later. He was implying that the Glisi were basing their trust on the fact that she was working with Atlantis. It was a flattering suggestion and she saw him smile when he saw she had understood him.

"I suppose that so many generations of good trade and friendship between our two peoples may be sufficient for them to trust Atlantis as well," she considered as she took a sip of her tea.

"Sure," he said, but his eyes were sparkling as if he thought her answer was funny for some reason. She frowned at his subtle teasing, asking him with her frown what he meant, but he just smiled again as he shifted in his seat, his right elbow settling on the back of the sofa, so he was turned further towards her now.

"I walked into Ronon on my way here," he told her changing the subject. "I dropped a few probing questions to see what happened with Hian last night."

She grinned at him. "And?" She asked with eager curiosity.

"I got nothing out of him; he just said the guy told good stories about Satedans and that they were all great Vikings."

She pursed her lips at the Vikings comment and simply nodded.

She was struck by the similarity of the moment to last night, how they had lain opposite each other in the bed, talking and teasing each other. Only now, it was in the light of day and they were sat in her warm quarters, but the connection with him felt the same.

"So sounds like you were wrong about Hian hitting on him," he teased more directly.

She let out an amused breath as she frowned, thinking back she had been very certain. Perhaps it had been the cold and the slight affect of the alcoholic meat sauce they had all consumed. "Perhaps," she considered as she reached out and set her cup back down on the table, before settling back on the sofa, tucking her right leg under her so she could sit facing John.

"Or," John added with a frown, "It could be that he didn't quite get what I was hinting at when I asked him. I can't always tell with Ronon if he doesn't get what I mean or if he just thinks I'm being an idiot."

She laughed at him as she nodded, having to agree with the assessment of Ronon sometimes. "Maybe he simply did not notice Hian's interest," she suggested, not wanting John to feel in any way that someone might think him an idiot. It was possible that Ronon simply did not wish to discuss the matter with anyone.

"Maybe," John considered.

"Sometimes it is not always obvious to people," she said without thinking, only afterwards realising the significance of such a comment for her and John.

John's left cheek twitched with a smile. "That's certainly true."

"It is also true that people do not always make their interest plain," she told him plainly.

His eyebrows rose with surprise at her directness. "Don't put this all on me," he replied, but the smile dancing on his lips and brightening his face was not lost on her. Indirectly though it was, they were actually discussing what had felt like only vague guesses and wishes for so long. It was so sharply liberating that she felt almost lightheaded.

"You have had plenty of years to say something to me," she argued, lifting her chin, challenging him.

"So have you," he responded immediately, challenging her in turn.

She had to tilt her head in acknowledgement of that point. "It has always been the way among my people for the man to make the first move towards something more."

"I'm not one of your people," he replied more seriously. "And I kind of thought that was what you wanted - a guy like Kanaan. How's a simple military guy from Earth supposed to compete with someone like him?" He asked, the comment presented as a joke, but she understood that it was far from such.

She held his gaze with all seriousness. "You are not supposed to," she told him plainly. "There is no competition."

She set her hand more securely on the back of the sofa and shifted across the tiny space between them, her knees bumping against his. She saw his surprise register, his eyes widening, but it was quickly replaced by curious interest in her intentions. She smiled as she leant in towards him, reaching out to lay her hand against his chest, the contact and his warmth against her palm a familiar friend from last night.

She looked up, to see his eyes glide across her features. The gentle warm touch of his hand against her elbow slid up her arm, stilling around her shoulder, again echoing his touching comfort from last night. She drew in a deep breath, inhaling his scent once again, and stretched her body the remaining distance to reach his lips.

He met her part way.

Their lips met in a warm soft kiss that though brief, felt like an answer to all the questions and conversation left unspoken. She pulled back slowly, their lips parting gradually, only for one of his hands to slip round her back. His warm hand flattened against her spine, silently asking her back to him as he dipped his chin and brushed his lips against hers. She needed no more invitation and pressed her mouth back to his.

His lips parted against hers this time, moving more decisively, and she felt the spell descending upon her again, scattering her thoughts of anything but the sensual movement of his mouth against hers. But, amongst it all, there did remain one solid repeating thought – this was John. Her John. And he felt so wonderful.

He was the first to pull back from the kiss, slowly parting his full lips from her, and she heard him take in a loud deep breath. The strong warmth of his forehead touched against hers as his hands slid up her neck and gently cradled her jaw.

She kept her eyes closed, absorbing the moment and the silent acknowledgment of it all, of not just the restrained passion, but also the sense of real emotion stirring between them.

His forehead left hers and she opened her eyes, lifting her head to look up into his eyes, the warmth of his hands against her skin sinking into her. His touch was so gentle yet solid, so very much like him she realised. As tough and casual he might appear to others, she had long ago learnt the true depth of his heart and character. To now see him looking at her with open deep affection made her feel more special than she ever had before. One of his thumbs grazed softly against her cheek and she reached up and cupped the outside of his hand, leaning her face into his touch, communicating without words that she understood and returned the affection.

He licked his lips and swallowed. "This could change a lot of things," he said quietly.

She nodded in response.

"About the team, about working together," he continued.

She understood what he meant, how this could change their lives beyond their personal time together, but for her there was no concern. However, she had to consider that there might be for him.

"I need you to be sure, Teyla," he whispered.

"I am sure," she replied, looking him straight in the eye. "Are you?"

He broke eye contact briefly. "I don't want to lose you from my team," he admitted. "I don't trust anyone more to watch my back."

She smiled at his compliment, but felt she had to add, "Except Ronon."

He nodded with a smile. "He's no way as pretty though."

She grinned at the very open flirtation, perhaps the first ever. "Perhaps it is best not to tell him that," she joked in reply.

He smiled, but it slipped quickly into seriousness. "I was thinking that, I've got my leave starting in a few of days, and with Rodney helping set up the Glisi research station and Ronon planning one of his savaging runs to Sateda..." She nodded understanding his point already. "You said Woolsey had offered you some extra leave, so I thought maybe we could spend some time together."

She liked the idea of course, but she knew already that it would not change her decision.

"Just the two of us," he continued. "And Torren, when he's here," he added with a smile.

She nodded her agreement. "I think that sounds an excellent idea. I shall speak to Mr Woolsey later today."

"Great," he replied with a smile, "then you can be sure."

She smiled at him. "We both can be."

He nodded emphatically, clearly pleased with her agreement and their plan. He then leant closer and his palms lifted her face gently up towards his kiss. She closed her eyes and every synapse focused on the soft warm press of his lips to hers.

She had no decision to make, but if it would ease his own concerns, she was more than willingly to enjoy a week with him. They would be free to follow the start of this romance unencumbered by duty and work.

She was very much looking forward to it.

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TBC


	8. Cultural Discoveries

**Note:** Apologies for the delay in continuing this fic as I was hit by the Norovirus last week. It's a nasty stomach bug which is sweeping the UK, and it found me last week. Feeling better now, though still very tired and my stomach still feels a little delicate – poor tummy.

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**Chapter 8 – Cultural Discoveries **

The next three days passed in a swirl of contrasts. Her duty hours were long and busy as the team accompanied Mr Woolsey and then the engineering and science teams to the Glisi home world. The trade agreement had been quickly signed during Mr Woolsey's first visit, and immediately afterwards the engineering and science teams had moved in to construct and outfit the new science station close to the Glisi' Stargate. The Glisi had helped clear a small area among the trees and setting stable foundations for the small building. Radek had overseen most of the planning and setting up of the station's equipment, though Rodney had voiced frequently that he had been involved in the majority of the planning. Fortunately her teams' assignment to assist and watch over the construction had not required them to stay overnight on the freezing world again. The days there were reasonably long and the work had proceeded quickly and efficiently, the only concern having been tolerating the cold. However, at least at the end of the shifts, they had all been able to return to the warmth of Atlantis.

Once home again in the city, Teyla had Torren back with her and he brightened her life as always. He had had a nasty cough while he had stayed with Kanaan, but it had already begun to clear his first day back with her. He had been very clingy and quiet the first evening on his return, which were both unusual characteristics for her growing son, but he had enjoyed cuddles from Carson and John, before crawling back to her lap to sleep. However, by the next morning, he had been bright and alert once more, and had remained as such. His excitable smile and loving cuddles had warmed her heart, and having him home under the protection of Atlantis eased her former nervousness away entirely.

And then there was her time with John. The days were busy and full with the team, Torren, and completing administrative tasks before their leave began, but they had quickly formed a routine of seeing each other in the morning and in the late evening. John had been arriving at her door half an hour before they would need to leave for the Mess Hall for breakfast and would sit with her and Torren. His presence was not only enjoyable for her, but Torren appeared to delight in his favourite 'uncle' being there to climb over first thing in the morning. It was also wonderfully helpful to have another pair of hands around to get Torren dressed and ready to leave for breakfast.

In the evenings, usually after a social event of some kind, John always visited her before he turned in. During those times they usually sat close together on her sofa, Torren by this point fast asleep, and talked away the evening into the night. They had spent most of those precious hours telling each other of their childhoods and adolescent years, and she felt that she had learnt more about John's life in the last three evenings than she had in the last six years. John in turn asked her many questions about her life back on Old Athos. She had told him about her first memories, of the first culling she had lived through, of losing her mother and then her father. She had even told him of the brother she rarely spoke of to anyone. He had been five years older than her and had been taken by the Wraith when she had been a babe. She had only a handful of memories of him, and felt that it was possible that most of them might have been fabricated by her imagination over the years. At John's questions she had recounted her family history back three generations, through warriors and traders, and John in turn had shared stories of his family. She had learnt about the wealth of his ancestors, of their trading skills, and how they had survived through two wars that had raged across almost all of John's planet.

The questions and stories had flowed between them so easily and excitedly that they had often run out of time together, needing to separate to sleep for the next day's duties.

Saying goodnight to John was also a wonderful new experience.

In the past three days, she had learnt for herself the significance of the Earth practice of sharing a good morning and goodnight kiss. She had noted the ritual between couples in the city, and in the Earth movies, before now, but her people had never shared such simple intimacy away from the bed. Among her people, as she had explained to John one evening, the sharing of kisses was publically considered to be too closely associated with lovemaking, in whatever its form, and never had she seen any Athosian sharing a kiss with another. It clearly occurred, and, as teenagers, she and her friends had talked about shared kisses excitedly. However, among her people, the ritualistic touching of foreheads had always been the method to greet and part from another, even with those most cherished. It was a sign of deep respect and, in certain cases, of love. She had no doubt that couples shared kisses in their tents, and she had shared some of her own, but regular scheduled kisses as shown by those from Earth was new to her.

That said, she in no way objected to the practice. She greatly looked forward to the first soft press of John's lips to hers in the morning once he had stepped into her quarters, and then the far more prolonged goodnight kiss.

They shared many more kisses whilst sat alone together on her sofa, but it was those first and last kisses that remained new and somehow more exciting than any other for her. Perhaps it was because it meant that no matter how busy either of their days may be there would always be those two kisses. She could understand the appeal to those from Earth.

And perhaps it was also because they marked so clearly the time they were apart through the night. On unspoken but mutual agreement, they had spent their nights apart, for she knew without doubt that the next time she and John shared a bed it would be to make love. She looked forward to that time, but felt no rush to reach that point, for the slow gradual discovery of John, and what there was between them, was deeply satisfying and exciting.

"Teyla?"

Ronon's call snapped her harshly out of her John daydreaming, which was occurring far too frequently at inopportune times. She looked across her quarters to where Ronon was sat in a chair, holding up two dvd covers for her to view. She quickly tried to recall if she had heard any of the conversation shared around the table in the last half an hour. Nothing came immediately to mind.

"I'm sorry?" She had to ask.

"See this discussion is even boring Teyla," Jennifer said from further down the sofa where she sat, feet tucked up under her and her head leant against Rodney's shoulder.

"It's an important question," Carson argued with a smile from the seat beside Ronon on the far side of the large coffee table.

Ronon held up the dvd covers up a little higher, his eyebrows rising higher as well as he stared at her. "Which one is better?" He all but demanded with a tone that implied that the answer was obvious.

She quickly ran her eyes over the dvd covers. Both were movies they had watched this week – 'Braveheart' and 'Men in Black'.

"Um," she uttered with a sigh as she quickly assessed what she recalled of the movies which she had watched whilst sitting next to John, his thigh pressed against hers. She ached to be able to rest comfortably against him during these social events, as Jennifer was currently doing with Rodney, but for now they had both agreed to keep their new relationship just between them. It somehow made it more private and thrilling to just enjoy things alone. However, it was also very distracting and slightly stressful to control her expressions around him.

She longed for their time alone later once the others left, when she could hold his hand and feel his fingers stroking against her cheek.

"Teyla?" Ronon prompted again.

"Men in Black," she replied quickly.

Ronon dropped his arms, and the dvds, and shook his head as if that had been most definitively the wrong answer.

"What? How can you say that too?" Carson asked.

"Come on, let it go, Carson," Rodney replied from the end of the sofa. "You're only saying its the best movie because its about a Scottish hero."

"It's a visually stunning movie," Carson argued, but Teyla was tuning out of the disagreement once again.

The empty spot beside her on the sofa was far too distracting. She turned in her seat and peered up over the back of the sofa towards where Torren's sleeping space was sectioned off by a large screen. John had been the one to put Torren to bed tonight, once he had enjoyed 'Men in Black' with the team, and was currently reading him his bedtime story. From the sofa she could see the end of Torren's high sided bed, and John's feet crossed at the ankle where he sat right next the bed. From the relaxed angle of his feet, and the occasional captured moments of his voice she could hear over the movie disagreement, she knew that the story was not yet complete. Torren would be lying on his side, turned towards John, his little eyes struggling to stay open so that he could experience as much of the world as possible before finally succumbed to sleep.

She longed to wander over and just enjoy the sight of her son in John's care, and listen to John's soft delicate storytelling voice. He was good at making up silly voices for some of the different characters in the books, which always made Torren giggle, but tonight the storytelling sounded calm and soft. She did not want to disturb them, and perhaps undo John's good work at getting Torren to fall asleep despite the many fun 'uncles' and 'aunt' in the room to play with.

Grudgingly, Teyla turned back to her friends. As much as she loved them all, she could not stop herself from glancing at her watch in anticipation of when her time alone with John would start.

"No, you're wrong," Carson announced loudly. "It was a brilliant movie too, though admittedly the alien was somewhat fake looking."

"Somewhat?!" Rodney huffed.

"It was brilliant for its day and it still makes me tearful when I watch it," Carson added.

"Sponge Bob Square Pants makes you tearful," Rodney teased.

"No it doesn't," Carson objected.

Teyla smiled at the joke, but it was a little pained for she had seen the Sponge Bob movie far too many times than she liked, for Torren was rather obsessed with it. He couldn't understand the story or most of the words, but the colours and the sounds fascinated him, and he usually giggled and pointed animatedly at Sponge Bob's antics happily. She however looked forward to the day he lost his obsession.

"Which movie are we discussing now?" She asked Carson.

"ET," he replied.

"I never liked that movie," Rodney muttered.

"You told me you loved it," Jennifer challenged him.

"As a kid maybe," Rodney replied weakly.

"Try and keep your voice down, Rodney," John said from behind the sofa and Teyla's heart joyfully leapt.

She looked up and round eagerly as he appeared around the end of the sofa and headed towards his empty space on the sofa beside her.

"What're we talking about?" He asked as he took his seat, his leg brushing against hers as he did. To any onlooker it would seem nothing, but she was acutely aware of his thigh settling just faintly against hers on the sofa cushions.

Ronon held up the two dvd cases again. "Which is the better movie?" He demanded.

John studied the covers as he reached forward and picked up his cup of cold coffee from the table, the motion of which consequently brushed his shoulder and arm against hers.

"That's a tough one," John considered as he sat back again on the sofa, his cup held up as he contemplated the dvds.

"Would you like another coffee?" Teyla quietly offered.

He looked round at her, less than a foot away from her, and smiled. "No, I'm good thanks," he said simply, but his eyes held that new element in them that made her heart speed up. He was far too distracting when not even in sight, now sat right up beside her, he was far too engaging. Fortunately he looked away back to Ronon, who was waving the Braveheart dvd higher.

"'Braveheart' is a great movie," John admitted.

"Thank you," Carson exclaimed victoriously.

"But, I'd have to choose 'Men in Black'," John finished.

"What?!" Carson asked in disbelief.

"How can _you_ say that?" Ronon demanded.

"Don't get me wrong, 'Braveheart's great, but you can watch 'Men in Black' more often," John explained his reasoning.

"If that's the only measure of a great movie," Carson protested, "then 'Sponge Bob Square Pants' is the best movie ever made." Everybody laughed and Teyla had to painfully agree that Torren would likely agree with that reasoning.

"Fair point," John conceded with a smile.

"If we're going to start watching cartoons, I'm going to turn in," Jennifer announced as she levered herself up away from Rodney's shoulder and pushed herself sleepily up from the sofa. "I've got trays of Glisi blood samples to go through tomorrow. Goodnight, everyone."

"Oh, uh, okay," Rodney uttered as he got up too. "Night, everyone, I guess." Together they both said their thanks for the evening and headed towards the door.

Over the chorus of night wishes, Teyla overheard Jennifer speaking to Rodney as they exited her quarters. "You don't have to leave with me, Rodney, it's okay if you want to stay."

"No, I want to leave..." Rodney began to reply, but the rest was lost as the doors shut behind them, and Teyla had to smile at the very couple like conversation between her friends.

Across the other side of the coffee table, Carson and Ronon were both also getting up to leave.

"It is getting late, and I've got plenty of my own Glisi genetic analysis to get started on tomorrow morning," Carson said as he stretched his back. "Thank you for a lovely evening tolerating all of us, Teyla."

"You are always welcome Carson," Teyla replied up to him with a smile.

As Carson moved away towards the door, Ronon began to follow, but stopped to pin John with a stern look.

"Don't know what's wrong with you, not picking 'Braveheart'," Ronon muttered.

"Oh, come on," John replied with feeling. "We _are_ the Men in Black," he argued. "We know about the aliens." At this point he paused and angled his head teasingly in her direction next to him.

"Ronon is alien to your world as well," she pointed out. "In fact, here in Pegasus, you are all the aliens."

John smiled as he continued his argument up at Ronon. "We keep the biggest secrets and we've got space guns."

Carson chuckled as he reached the door. "Night, Teyla," he called, apparently deciding John wasn't worthy of a goodbye after denying 'Braveheart'.

"Whatever, 'Braveheart' is better," Ronon muttered as he headed after Carson.

Carson disappeared outside, but Ronon turned back. "You coming?" He asked John.

Teyla made sure to look as innocent as possible as she watched John make a show of swallowing a mouthful of coffee before answering Ronon.

"I'm just gonna finish this first," he replied, gesturing to his coffee, "and maybe check on Torren before I go."

It wasn't an entirely weak explanation, for John was known to be last to leave her quarters before now. However, Ronon's eyes visibly narrowed and his chin rose, as if assessing John closely. Teyla saw his gaze move to her and she just smiled, as casually innocent as possible.

"O-kay," Ronon replied, the word elongated and not without a touch of suspicion.

Teyla could feel the tension and discomfort in John next to her. "We still sparing tomorrow morning?" He asked Ronon quickly.

"Sure," Ronon replied simply as he turned for the door. "See you at seven," he added as he sent one more look back towards them before the doors slid shut behind him.

John looked round at her. "He doesn't know for sure," he said.

Teyla smiled, feeling more relaxed now they were alone. She lowered her gaze to his cup. "Are you sure you do not want a fresh coffee?"

"No, honestly, it's fine," he replied with his own more relaxed smile, his eyes darker and more open in their expression now. "I really do have to turn in soon anyway."

She nodded, but felt a sharp pang of disappointment. She made sure not to show it though. "But at least tomorrow will be your last working day before your leave begins," she added optimistically.

He grinned. "Looking forward to it," he replied, but his expression and tone told her that he referred more to their future time together than to his own time free from duty. "I've just got a lot of work to get through tomorrow. Lorne does a great job filling in, but I need to get the responses to the security reports finalised by the end of tomorrow. Torren's heading back to New Athos tomorrow isn't he?"

"Yes," she added with a wince of sadness. Torren was leaving for his stay with Kanaan a day earlier than normal for Kanaan had a hunting trip planned for the end of the week. "I will be up early myself to take him before our duty shift starts."

"What time you going?"

"I should be leaving here about seven tomorrow morning. The new sowing season for sweet grain has started, so it is best that I reach the camp before it grows overly busy with the preparations," she explained.

John nodded. "Okay, I'll come round about six thirty? See you and Torren before I go get my ass handed to me by Ronon."

She nodded her agreement, pleased at the ease of this continuing new routine and that he wished to see her still despite his busy day tomorrow.

"I hope you are keeping your left guard up whilst sparring," she commented.

"Yes," he replied with a theatrical roll of his eyes as he as he drank down the last of his coffee and shifted forward to the edge of the sofa. "Doesn't do me much good in stopping him when he attacks, but yes."

She smiled, but she did often worry about him being properly injured one day when sparring with Ronon.

He set his cup down on the coffee table and turned towards her. "You got any plans tomorrow evening?"

"No, I have no social event to attend, but you said you would be working late," she replied.

He nodded at that. "I told you I go lane swimming some nights down in the pool?"

He had mentioned it before. "Yes, by the baby pool where I take Torren."

"It's usually a great way to unwind after a long day," he said, "It's not busy at that time, only a few marines and a lifeguard there late usually. Thought maybe, if you wanted, you could come along tomorrow evening."

The idea appealed to her greatly, not only in that he was asking her to share in his new form of recreation, but that it would be a nice change of routine and she had always found swimming to be very relaxing.

"I would enjoy that," she replied happily.

"Great," he grinned. "Probably best to sort out the time tomorrow, when I know when I'll be finishing."

"I look forward to it."

"And, you now, wear a bikini if you want to," he added as a teasing, perhaps rather too hopeful, joke.

She laughed at him, tempted though she would be to wear one for him, she replied, "I do not think that would be entirely appropriate in such company."

"Good point, the marines might enjoy the show too much," he suggested though she sensed a touch of disappointment, which he no doubt intended to convey.

"Perhaps I might wear one when we next visit a beach on the mainland," she offered.

His eyebrows rose at the suggestion. "We have got a week off, and I was hoping to get in some surfing time."

She delighted in his pleasure at the idea and this new suggestive teasing playfulness between them, so easy and naturally emerging from their previous banter. "That sounds like an enjoyable outing."

He grinned again, his eyes deep and dark. "Great," he replied with a tone deep and soft.

She sensed their goodnight kiss was fast approaching. Her lips felt teasingly sensitive and she was aware that her breathing had increased with the growing anticipation.

She shifted forward a little, to move up beside him at the edge of the sofa, but before she could do so, he turned towards her. His left arm stretched out, his hand meeting the sofa's arm to brace himself as he leant in towards her, essentially pinning her into the corner of the sofa. The move was more dominating, more confident, than he had been before, and she felt a rush of arousal burst through her as he pressed up close to her. She lifted her chin and met his mouth eagerly, predicting a new passion to his kiss than the soft goodnight one she had been expecting.

She was not wrong.

His mouth was hot and wet against her, tasting of rich coffee and sweet sugar, and the kiss moved with a familiarity they were increasingly gaining with each other. With that familiarity there had been a growing sense of progression, of an unfolding of the passion between them. Each kiss allowed a greater openness, a sweeter sharing of desire, and in this kiss she felt a bolder revelation from him. This kiss was far more intense and immediately deeper than any before it.

It thrilled and excited her profoundly. She lifted her arms up around his shoulders, sliding her hands flat against the enjoyable lines of his body beneath his thin shirt. His body heat comforted and teased at her as she sat up even closer to him, tightening her arms around the back of his neck to pull them together.

A deep masculine rumble of approval vibrated through his chest into her and she felt his hand sliding around her back. She squeezed her eyes tightly closed as she revelled in this new shared level of desire between them, and allowed herself to be swept up in the passion he provoked in her, and she in him. The delightful awareness that she could arouse him enough to growl, teased deep down into her body and made her acutely aware of her breasts pressed against the flat muscular plains of his chest. He was a drug she welcomed with a desperate yet relaxed yearning.

His hand tangled up in her hair at the back of her neck and she let him support her head, her back arching and she felt the sharp rasp of her soft top against her nipples.

His other hand was sweeping down her back now, his hand large and warm, stroking and exploring. She sighed into their kiss, but it echoed more like a moan. The pressure of his mouth lifted from hers, but he did not pull back from her. His lips brushed softly against hers, their breaths intermingling. She dropped her head back against the sofa, back into the cradle of his hand, as his mouth ghosted to her ear and into the teasingly aching place where her jaw met her throat. She tightened her hands around his neck at the touch, finding the warmth of his skin under his collar and pursued it, sliding one hand down inside the back of his shirt, following the lure of his skin.

His hand at her waist now returned up her side, stroking up to graze against the side of her breast. She wanted nothing more in that moment than to feel his hand around her. She did not need to ask him, for his hand slid between their chests, gently covering her breast with his wide hot palm for the first time.

She gasped at the touch, tightening her hands against his skin, and his mouth brushed once more against hers. She tangled her tongue with his as his hand massaged softly.

As his thumb slid across her, seeking out and teasing her nipple under the material of her top, the pleasure raced higher and she had to break her mouth from his. She gasped a deep breath, arching her back and pushing herself further into his touch, and deep down in her pelvis a new arousal ached low and rhythmically.

Almost immediately he began to pull back, his hand sliding away from her breast to settle against her side, and his forehead touched against her temple. She became aware of how fast his breathing was now, how his back was rising and falling under her hand flattened down his back under his shirt. She slowly drew her palm up his spine, feeling the faintest touch of moisture to his skin that spoke to her of the new passion that he too had felt.

As her hand pulled out from his collar, he pulled back from her, his head dropping back slightly, and he let out an exaggerated breath.

"Think it's probably time I left now," he suggested as he looked back down at her, and she had to grin at his slightly dazed expression.

She pulled her hands down over his lean wide shoulders, to rest against his upper chest, and nodded. "Perhaps so," she agreed with a smile. She was only a little surprised at how husky her voice sounded. She was also feeling a little lightheaded, but it felt strangely good.

He nodded, but his eyes had lowered to her lips again, and she leant forward to meet his next kiss. It was very chaste compared to what they had just shared, but when it should have ended, it continued, lingering with brushing lips. She tightened her hands on the front of his shirt.

He pulled back abruptly, and his hands, that had been on her sides, lifted from her. She pulled back to see him holding his hands up, as if in surrender, or more likely denial.

"I should definitely be going now," he told her, his hands still up, and she felt he was perhaps talking to himself more than her. She grinned at his theatrics, but she understood his point.

She had to wonder that if Torren were not sleeping in the corner of the room tonight, whether their embrace would have ended so soon. She made herself not look across her quarters to where her bed stood, dark and perfectly made. A vision of John on her bed came to her in a rush. She wondered how good he would look lying naked beside her.

The fantasy was rather shocking, not only in its strength, but also that she would be pushed to such a point.

She looked up at him and took a deep calming breath of her own. He gave her a slightly pointed look and she wondered what expression she had just shown him whilst her fantasy had played out in her thoughts.

She took another breath and nodded more definitively. "It is getting late," she commented.

He lifted an eyebrow at her, but pulled back, returning to his previous position sat next to her at the edge of the sofa. She sat up with him, sitting up beside him while adjusting her top slightly back into place.

"Think I'm definitely gonna need to swim a few lengths of the pool before bed," he muttered as he stood up from the sofa, righting his own shirt, which she had bunched up his back.

She stood up as well and followed him away from the sofa. She tried not to smile at the way he was walking – clearly he too had felt a very physical reaction of arousal. By the time they reached her door, he was walking more fluidly, and he turned to her.

"So I'll see you tomorrow morning, six thirty?" He asked, his eyes sparkling once more.

"Definitely," she confirmed, before she lowered her eyes down the front of his body. "Are you presentable for the hallways?"

He pursed his lips and she was immensely pleased to see one of his rare blushes spread high across his cheekbones. It was most endearing.

"All good to go," he replied with a faintly embarrassed half smile.

"Good," she replied, grinning up at him. It was so enjoyable to be able to tease him like this - openly and sexually. He gave her a look which presumably was all he could come up with as a retort to her grin, but she repaired her teasing by stepping up closer to him. She rose up on her toes, set one hand against his chest, and pressed a soft goodnight kiss against his lips.

His hands slid low around her back, pulling her body fully against his even as the soft kiss ended. Their lips separated slowly, but his hands held her against him still, once again breaching a new line between them. She willingly leant her weight against him, their bodies pressing fully together from knees to chest.

"Night then," he said as he stared down at her in the dim light, and she smiled up at his clear mutual desire for him not to leave.

"Sleep well," she said, but neither of them had let go of the other, their bodies resting against the other.

He nodded and, after a beat, his grip on her lower back loosened slowly. It was time for him to go. She slid her own hands from his chest and settled her weight properly back down on her feet, regretfully no longer leaning up against him.

However, at the last moment that their hands left the other, John bent down and pressed another quick kiss to her mouth. It was over in an instant and it was far more playful in nature than the others, and it made her smile as he stepped away and triggered open her doors.

He glanced back at her as he stepped through out into the corridor, and grinned at her before he disappeared from view. His grin, accompanied with those dark sparkling, playfully flirtatious eyes of his, stirred her insides once more.

She wondered if he knew what that smile of his could do to her.

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TBC


	9. Water Games

**Note: **This was one of those chapters that could just go on far too long and took some serious editing. I'm happy enough with it now so am finally posting it and moving on to the next chapter! I swear this fic has a life of its own!  
Happy to hear you're enjoying this fic, Jeyla - please don't hate me for the ending of this chapter...

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**Chapter 9 – Water Games **

She was fussing and she knew it. She had spent most of the evening doing so in preparation for her late evening swim with John. The exact time of their swim had yet to be confirmed, though the evening was getting quite late already. He had emailed her updates of how his work had been proceeding throughout the evening, though most of the emails had been laments about how bored he was and how frequently Mr Woolsey had been 'pestering' him with questions. She had replied with understanding and had advised that he lock his office door. He had replied that he had already tried that, even going so far as to turn his office lights off. She suspected he was only joking, but the image of John hiding behind his desk in his darkened office had been very amusing.

Whilst waiting for a timeframe as to when she should leave for the swimming pool she had decided that her swimsuit required some adjustments, and had since spent far too much time fussing about how the suit fitted her. She had originally designed the swimsuit with only function in mind, needing it so she could accompany Torren into the baby pool. However, on looking at the swimsuit this evening, she had decided it could fit her a little more flatteringly. The top of it was suitable enough in the way it secured up around the back of her neck, resulting in a high neckline, which left her shoulders and upper back uncovered. However, she had needed to tighten some seams and had adjusted the shape of the suit around her middle. She turned in front of the mirror now, settling the tightened seams over her hips and around her back. With her legs entirely bared and her shoulders and upper back exposed, she judged the swimsuit to be flattering enough, but with the seams now tightened she was more comfortable in the outfit. John had never seen her in it and she tried to imagine how he would judge its appearance.

She did not usually design her clothes with such concern for male opinion, but the thrilling knowledge that she would be wearing only this single tight piece of clothing whilst swimming with John, meant that she wished to look her best. With that in mind, she now turned her attention to her hair. She had secured it back off her face, but some short tendrils had loosened free. She tucked them behind her ears with a frown.

Her laptop bleeped from across the room, announcing the arrival of a new email, hopefully from John. She turned away from the mirror and eagerly made her way to her desk and reached out to awaken the laptop from its screensaver display of her favourite pictures of Torren. The new email was from John and it was entitled 'Freedom!', which not only implied he was soon to finish his work, but she also suspected was another one of his frequent references to 'Braveheart' today.

He said he was planning to be at the swimming pool at nine thirty, which was in only fifteen minutes time, which she had to wonder was slightly optimistic, since he no doubt would be approached with more questions when he checked in with Mr Woolsey before he began his leave. She typed a quick response, promising to meet him at the pool as planned, however she privately estimated that it would be best for her to get to the pool in twenty minutes time. Which left her plenty of time to sort her hair and gather what she needed.

The email sent, she went to her wardrobe and pulled on a soft pair of trousers to wear over her swimsuit. She then selected one of the Earth style zip up warm tops to go with it. She pulled out some sandals and then padded her way to her bathroom. She triggered the light on and frowned at her hair once more. She decided she needed to pin back the errant strands, for when her hair was wet it tended to fluff up and that would not be attractive this evening. She set about pinning back her hair and then retrieved a small and large towel from the cupboard by the sink. As she did so she noticed the time on her watch and realised she had fussed far too long with her hair and it was already nine forty. She quickly hurried back to her sandals, slid them on, pushed her towels into her usual workout bag and crossed to her desk. After ensuring that no further emails had arrived from John, she shut down the laptop and hurried from her quarters.

The hallways were not as quiet as one would expect at this time of the evening, for with the constant change of shifts in the city and the frequent social events, there was nearly always someone walking through the hallways. She nodded to those she passed, and supposed that most would likely think her on her way to the gym to spar, since she was dressed in workout clothes. The secretive nature of her relationship with John made that misconception thrill her this evening. Too many evenings she had simply been heading to the gym to work out some excess energy or concern for Torren whilst he was with Kanaan on New Athos, but tonight things were different. She was very much looking forward to enjoying a swim with John.

And the prospect of seeing John clad only in swimming trunks had some appeal as well.

She smiled to herself as she triggered open the doors to the transporter and stepped inside. She triggered the display and after a brief burst of light, the doors opened to reveal the lower levels of the city. Where the hallways had been quietly active up in the tower, down here there was no one around.

She knew the way to the pool well enough now, and in no time she turned a corner and the large doors to the swimming area appeared. Formally there had been a handwritten sign taped up beside the doors, but now it had been replaced with two printed and laminated signs. As she reached the doors, she took a moment to glance over them. It was the same information as the previous handwritten sign, which reminded people that someone with lifeguard training must be present at all times when swimming, but where before there had been an informal list of who could life guard if needed, there was now a set rota. John had mentioned this to her, for the IOA had been concerned about the safety aspects of the pool. It had not been a massive issue before, since all the military staff were trained enough to pass as life guards and the note taped up beside the door had been warning enough for those not military. Now however, John had had to assign a trained member of staff to be present in the pool at all times. John had muttered about that, but a good handful of people had volunteered for the duty and it was now considered a rather easy job to do looking after the pool.

Smiling at the outward sign of one of the many IOA demands on John and Mr Woolsey across the city, she triggered open the doors and moved through.

Warm humid air met her immediately and she drew it in deeply. The corridor twisted to the left and opened up to a small junction which led either to the main pool, a corridor to the baby pool, or to the changing area. She headed straight into the changing area.

The main changing room was a long narrow room stretching back towards where there were showers, toilets, enclosed changing spaces and another entrance to the main pool. The main changing room was lined on both sides with a long ancient bench, above which two lines of hooks ran along the walls, one row at her shoulder height and the other above her head height. She suspected that the top hooks were for long clothes, such as for the several pairs of trousers she saw hanging from them now. She spied John's bag and clothes to the right. He was already here, and judging by the number of other bags and clothes, there were only four other people swimming this evening. She headed for the area of the bench where John's things sat.

She pulled her towels out of her bag and hung the larger one on one of the lower hooks. She slipped off her sandals and tucked them under the bench alongside John's boots. As she slipped off her top, exposing her swimsuit and bare skin to the warm air, she could hear talking and the splashing of water from the pool next door. She was very much looking forward to this, but still felt a touch of nervousness in her stomach.

The new heightened passion she had shared with John last night during their kisses had played on her mind all day, and it had created a new growing tension and thrill to their next evening together. She was looking forward their goodnight kiss tonight with far more anticipation than any before. She also was greatly looking forward to seeing how he would like her swimsuit.

She slid off her trousers and would have hung them up on one of the highest hooks, but they were a touch too high for her to reach. No doubt John had had to barely stretch to reach one for his trousers. She folded up her clothes instead and tucked them into her bag to keep them dry when she returned. Finally, she deactivated her radio earpiece and put it in the protective case she had brought with her. She put it in her bag as well, and then ran her hands over her hair once more, ensuring everything was still pinned back.

Everything ready, she collected up her small towel to take with her, and headed back towards the open exit to the changing area. It was time to swim.

As she turned into the open entrance to the main pool, a familiar face appeared. Captain Ching had been in the city for several years now and was a frequent member of her sparing circle, however she had never seen him quite so undressed before. She tried not to react at seeing his exceedingly toned chest, arms and legs as he headed towards her, rubbing at his wet hair with a towel.

"Hello, Teyla," he greeted her with a bright smile. "Nice to see you here."

"It is nice to be here, thank you," she replied, trying not to look below his neckline, on which his wet hair was dripping. He had no body hair at all on his chest or arms, her female brain catalogued studiously, and the veins on his arms stood out quite strongly as he dried his hair. She suspected he used the weight machines in the gym very frequently.

"If you want to join our water volleyball team, we're looking for more team members," he enticed as they passed each other.

She smiled at him, knowing already about his love of various sports and eagerness to engage others in them. "I will consider it," she offered.

"Enjoy your swim," Ching replied before she was past him.

"Thank you," she replied as she headed quickly onwards and the short corridor opened up to the large pool room.

The pool was very large, the length of it stretching off to the left, but in keeping with everything the Ancients designed, it was also a beautifully decorated feature within the high ceiling room. In the far side of the room, she could see the baby pool set behind a glass wall through which she usually saw the main pool. Tonight however, she was here only for the adult pool, and she happily padded across to where she could leave her towel.

The air was very warm and moist in here, but it also held a freshness that spoke of the pure filtered nature of the water filling the pool. There were specialised filters built into the city's underbelly that drew in the sea water and turned it into safe drinking water, and part of that water supply could be directed to the swimming pools. The resulting water was so perfectly clear that it allowed a clear view of the mosaic tiled patterns decorating the floor of the pool.

As it always was in the evenings, the pool was currently divided up into lanes by long lines of floats, and as she had already deduced, there were now only three other people in the pool, as well as Lieutenant Martins who was the official lifeguard on duty this evening. He was currently working away in one corner of the room, sorting and folding up wetsuits that likely had been used in a training drill earlier. He saw her across room and sent her a wave and nod, thereby eliminating her need to attract his attention to let him know she would be swimming.

The safety aspect taken care of, she moved towards the nearest corner of the large pool, scanning over the three people swimming the lanes to identify John. In the furthest lane a woman, a scientist who worked with Radek, was just starting a new length down the pool. Three lanes over, a large set man hauled himself out of the water to turn back, his arms rising up over his head, ready to perform a dive back into the pool. She recognised him as one of the more recent Marines to be stationed in the city, but as she had not worked with him directly before his name escaped her. He seemed far more intent in diving back into the water though, and she watched as he performed a neat dive and began powering his way down his lane, the water splashing wildly around his arms slicing into the water.

Which left the remaining occupied lane as Johns, but he was currently near the far end of his lane, swimming away from her. She held still as he neared the end of his length, waiting to see if he would stop at the far end, but in a smooth dive he disappeared under the water to return almost immediately turned about having pushed off the far end of the pool. She watched him speeding through the water back down towards her end. His face was turned down into the water almost the entire time, and with the splashing she could not see much of him, only the middle of his back and his arms alternately rising up from the water to slice down back into it, powering him along. She had not known he was such a good swimmer, but then considering his build, she realised that he was perfectly designed for it. He was tall, but lean and agile which enabled him to move swiftly through the water with clear skill. It was very impressive to watch, as was her limited view of his working muscular back.

It would take a short while for him to reach this end of the pool, so she headed towards the end of his lane. As she padded on cooling bare feet to the pool, she glanced around at the others present, everyone appearing very involved in their own workout, or duties in the case of Lieutenant Martins. No one was paying her any attention.

She reached the end of John's lane and crouched down at the edge and reached a hand into the water. It was wonderfully warm, so she sat down carefully on the smooth warm pool edge and lowered her legs into the water. She could slip into the water and swim to meet him, perhaps attract his attention to her presence, or she could simply begin her own lengths in another lane. However, she much preferred to greet John now, to look into his eyes and speak with him. There would be no greeting kiss with others present, but she could at least flirt with him a little and enjoy the approaching prospect of getting a proper look at his toned body sliding through the water towards her. Though he might be planning a quick return back down the pool, as he had done at the far end, her legs in the water would announce her arrival to him.

Happily waiting for that moment, she settled more comfortably, enjoying the water swirling around her knees, and looked down the lane of water to see John fast approaching. Now he was closer, she had a greatly improved view of his back and shoulders.

She tore her eyes away to check that no one else was watching her clear enjoyment of John's skill, but Lieutenant Martins was busy storing away the wetsuits, while the Marine was swimming head down with determined focus, and the scientist was working smooth steady lengths, taking her time and clearly taking more enjoyment out of the exercise than the Marine.

The splashing of John's approach drew Teyla's attention back to the lane to see that he was only a few metres away now, and her anticipation grew. She swirled her legs around in the warm water to make sure he could not miss her presence.

He was only a metre away when his strokes altered and he disappeared down into the water. She leant forward to watch his smooth advancement through the clear water, enjoying the light playing over muscular lines held tautly under relaxed control. He did move very well in water.

He was almost to her and she smiled as she had to lean further forward to watch his progress so deep down in the water almost at the pool's wall on which she sat, and then his hands met her feet. She grinned as she wriggled her feet in his grasp. Bubbles of his breath rose through the water as he pushed up towards the surface, his hands sliding up her calves.

He breached the water's surface with a splatter of droplets that she was certain was unnecessary and intended only to splash her. She smiled as she turned her head a away from the splashing water.

"Hey," he greeted her with a big grin as he ran one hand through his wet hair, which despite the weight of the water simply strung back upright. She had the compulsion to reach out and try to flatten it to tease him, but there were other eyes in the pool.

"Hello," she told him with a smile, looking down into his eyes with the wonderful unencumbered feeling of their new relationship.

Water glistened over his handsome face, droplets rolling down his strong neck and the wide stretch of his broad shoulders. His chin and jaw were slightly darkened with a day's beard growth and she felt another urge to reach out and touch him. To stroke her hand along the damp wet angle of his jaw to feel the contrast of his wet skin and hair. Unlike Captain Ching, John was not hairless, and her eyes dropped down to the top of his chest where a very handsome layer of chest hair was spread across his wide pectoral muscles.

He shifted in the water, steadying himself with one hand against the side of the pool by her hip. Water shone along the elegant toned lines of his muscular arm and shoulder held out of the water.

He was a very enjoyable sight indeed, and she did not try all that hard not to let her approval show.

"You are a very good swimmer, John," she complimented him.

"It's a good pool," he replied offhandedly as he wiped his hand over his face again to clear water from his eyelashes, which appeared very long and dark now they were wet. Dark green eyes looked back up at her, by way of her bare legs and shoulders. She smiled at his own none too subtle study of her in return.

"You just gonna sit up there all evening or you gonna join me?" He asked up to her with a cheeky grin. She smiled at the subtle innuendo, and at the tempting challenging lift of his eyebrows as he pushed himself away from the edge, sliding backwards away from her through the water, making space for her to enter the water with him.

Sensing the theme for the evening would be playful innuendo, she smiled as she shifted herself to the edge of the poolside and then off it, sliding down the short distance to the water.

The warm water engulfed her, sliding over her in a strong supportive caress, and with a sigh she settled neck deep in it, stretching and kicking her arms and legs, absorbing the water's warm comfort. She took a delighted deep breath and lowered herself completely down under the surface, and pushed off the side with her feet, diving down deeper into the perfectly clear water.

The strange muted sounds of being underwater surrounded her as she stretched a slow stroke down through the water. The patterns of the mosaics across the pool's floor looked bright and new under her, sparkling in the scattered light reaching down through the water's surface above.

With one more kick and relaxed stroke of her arms, she reached the pool's floor and reached out to touch the Ancient tiles. They felt smooth and oddly warm under her touch. Fluidly she pulled her knees under her, and setting her feet on the beautiful patterned floor, she pushed up through the water back towards the surface where John was waiting for her. He was partly under the surface, watching her slow easy ascent, and with a twist of his long lean body, he kicked forward to surface where she was headed. With one last leisurely kick, even though her breath was running out, she took the moment to enjoy the feel of the water on her and the sight of John's lean long torso and legs, before she broke back up into the air.

The cooler atmosphere hit her skin and she drew in a good deep breath as she ran her hands over her face and hair. John, only a few feet away, swam towards her with a smile.

"Show off," he teased as he reached her, swimming a casual appearing semicircle around her, but beneath the surface his hand slid lightly across her back and her side as he passed around her.

As burst of playful ease had her kicking away from him with a smile, the water stirring small waves over her bare shoulders.

"Only half an hour until we're closing up," Lieutenant Martins called out from the far end of the pool, where he had finished putting away the wetsuits.

She turned fluidly in the water towards where the Lieutenant was climbing up onto the lifeguard's platform. He had a laptop and radio up there, but also a good view of the entire pool. That was a good thing for safety, but Teyla felt a little regretful that she and John could not just enjoy the water without anyone watching them.

"Want to swim some lanes?" John asked her as he circled into her view, his body coming between her and Martin's view. His hand grazed against her side briefly again, almost as if requesting her attention.

She smiled. "Do I need to have my own lane?" She asked looking at the line of floats dividing this lane from the empty one next to it.

"We can share one, if you can keep up" John replied from where he had dipped low in the water, his mischievous eyes sparkling, before he abruptly pushed away and began to swim quickly towards the far end of the pool. Immediately understanding the challenge, she kicked off after him to catch up with him.

She was a good swimmer, as all her people were having been taught from a young age, but she had not swum very much in recent years and though she retained muscle memory of the strokes of swimming, it took some time to settle back into them. It meant that she was behind John for most of the length, but he was not trying all that hard to keep ahead of her. He turned over onto his back at one point, and began egging her on to swim faster, stating that Torren could swim faster than her.

She kicked harder, her coordination improving with each stroke, and soon she was level with him. He slid back round onto his stomach in the water again, but they were almost to the far end of the lane.

"It has been many years since I swam," she felt she had to explain and share as they swam along together. "And we do not have such specific strokes as your people," she noted as the Marine powered past two lanes over. The stroke he was using was unusual, requiring both his arms to rise up and over his head at the same time.

"That's called the butterfly stroke," John informed her, "he's just showing off."

"That is what you always say about Marines, is it not?" She replied.

"Shh," John replied as he pushed forward on his side, turned towards her. "You'll get me into trouble."

She grinned at that, but as they reached the far end of the pool and paused, she held onto the pool's edge and watched the Marine's progress through the water. "It does not seem the most relaxing of swimming methods," she noted of the 'butterfly' stroke.

"Want to do a more speedy lane or two?" John asked, drawing her attention back to him. She smiled up the pointed spikes of his dark hair.

"Yes, but not to compete," she replied, "I cannot yet best you in speed."

"Yet?" He noted, his chin down in the water.

"Yes," she responded. "After all I can run faster than you, so it only makes sense that I will be able to swim faster than you," she teased.

He pulled a face like he had been physically hit by her comment. "Those are some fighting words, Teyla," he remarked.

"We shall see," she responded.

"You'd better get practicing then," he replied and quickly kicked away from the side to start his length.

She laughed lightly, but let him swim away. If she timed it right, they could swim past each other on his return and thereby have space enough for each other, but still brush past one another.

She covered the time by reaching up and checking her hair was pinned back still, that no strands were standing free. Wild hair looked good on John, but would not on her. As she ran one wet hand over her head to smooth everything back, she noted the scientist had finished her swim and was walking past, heading to the showers and the changing room. The Marine was on a return trip down the pool, this time on his back, his arms quickly slicing alternately overhead.

Deciding it was time to start her lengths, she set her feet against the smooth side of the pool and pushed off through the water. She began at a steady rhythm, working to regain the coordination again, remembering how to kick her feet most efficiently and getting used to the water on her face. She was just over half way across the pool when John was approaching on his return length. She slowed enough so not to hit or kick him accidently, and he did the same, turning on to his side towards her as he slid past, filling her view with his handsome smile and bare chest.

"You're going to have to do better than that," he challenged with a grin. He was enjoying himself and that in itself was enough to make her smile.

She did not have the chance to throw back a retort, for he was swimming away once more, no doubt purposefully using a stroke that prevented him from hearing her due to the splashing he caused.

She swam on, and soon found she was moving faster through the water, and she quickly approached the far end of the pool. She did not know how to do the underwater turns as expertly as John, but she tried it out. She turned a little too close to the wall, but kicked off well and pushed back through the water to surface and continue back down the lane.

Just under halfway back down the lane, she neared John on his return, but this time she did not slow, instead she took a deep breath and drove down so that she would pass under him. She rolled onto her side, just a foot or two underneath him and watched as he paused, no doubt looking for her. At which point she reached up and slid her hand down his outer thigh and calf as she swam on. She felt him move under her touch, felt his body turning, but she simply swam on, kicking up towards the surface. She came to the surface and swam on smiling, purposefully not looking back at him.

As she reached the far end, she heard Lieutenant Martins call out that only fifteen minutes remained until the pool would be closing. She was disappointed, and wished she had arrived sooner this evening and so would have enjoyed more time in the water. She could see why it was so appealing to John.

The end of the pool reached, she attempted another underwater turn and was slightly more fluid this time. She pushed back through the water and ahead she saw John. Smiling to herself, she kicked harder, planning to reach him sooner than he expected this time.

On nearing him however, she saw him disappear underwater and so she quickly took a breath and drove under herself.

The muted warm world surrounded her again and she saw John underwater ahead of her. However, her attention was drawn to the bright coloured brick in his hand. He waved it and then dropped it. She held still, watching it fall down through the water to the pool's floor. The bricks were used for training, but she understood he intended a challenge in it. Kicking her legs and arms to keep herself stationary, she looked back to John to see him pointing up to the surface as he kicked up to do so.

She nodded and followed him, aiming at where he had already reached the surface, but she took a moment to enjoy the almost entirely naked sight of his body once more. The moment was short lived though, for she reached the surface and drew in a sharp breath, wiping the water out of her eyes.

"We head to one end each and first one back here to the middle and gets the brick wins," he challenged.

She could not help chuckle as she kicked her legs under her to keep herself stationary in the water. She would prefer to reach out and use his toned shoulder to steady her, but there were others watching. "Will this then reaffirm your masculinity after my comment about running faster than you?" She asked.

He narrowed his eyes at her. "If you don't think you can do it..." He teased as he swam a fraction closer.

"I think I can best you," she returned the challenge, enjoying this play. It helped in a way to quell the urge to reach out and touch him. If only there was no one else in the pool, if they could be alone in the water...

His skin, wet and bare was so very tempting, and this game was only teasing her anticipation for the chance to touch him unseen again.

"Ready?" He asked, and there was something in his eyes and expression that suggested to her that he was feeling some of the same repressed desire burning beneath the challenging play.

"Yes," she replied calmly.

"On three," he said, turning slightly away towards his end of the lane.

She turned towards her end, looking back at him, her leg brushing his.

"One, two," he began, "three," he added overly quickly, but she had anticipated that and in fact managed to push herself forward with a foot against his back.

She powered away from him, swimming with less skill, but more speed for sure this time. She put her face down into the water this time, taking frequent breaths as needed, and soon enough she was nearing the end of the pool. She drove down quickly, turned a little too clumsily, but pushed off the side quickly and kicked furiously back down the lane. Underwater, she could just see John in the distance – he had just turned as well. She reached the surface and kicked harder, but after several seconds, she decided to change tactics and so took a large breath and drove down into the water.

She was faster underwater and she would use that to her advantage. She used her entire body to slide forward, already checking out where the brick had fallen at the centre of the pool. She spotted the bright brick easily enough, but she saw that John was nearing the middle point. She kicked up to the surface, took a large breath and then drove down speedily.

Submerged once more, she saw John drive, only a few metres or so from her. She was swimming down at an angle so could perhaps beat him to the brick, but it would be a push. His downward dive was smooth and fast though, powered by his strong arms and legs, and she knew that she would not make it to the brick first. But, she could intercept him.

She re-angled her approach to meet him on his descent. She reached out to grab at his closest arm to hinder him, but he saw her heading towards him, and twisted away, and she saw light tease over a smile. She reached out further, capturing his other arm, her plan already accomplished for he had halted his descent. Cheekily, she set one foot against his leg, and pushed herself downwards, ahead of him.

He would not be beaten so easily though, and she felt his hands on her calf and then around her left knee, not pulling her back, but pulling him with her. She felt him kick and his other hand touched against her back, almost as if he were using her as a ladder to get ahead of her. She twisted over under him, enjoying his caress-like touches, and pulled up one of her knees against his middle. She saw his surprise at the move, and she followed through on that break in his concentration by setting one hand against his slick toned chest to push herself ahead the extra metre needed to reach the innocuous brick waiting for the winner.

She reached the pool's floor a second later and captured the brick gleefully. It was heavier than she had expected, so she almost lost her grip, and in that time John arrived at her side. She quickly held the brick tight to her middle and twisted away from him. His arms slid around her, enclosing her in an embrace, though his intent was to wrestle the brick from her. Feeling the desperate need for oxygen and to giggle at their silly playful behaviour, she tucked her feet under her and pushed upwards.

John did not hinder her this time, but quickly followed her, his hands grazing up the outside of her hips as he reached level with her on their ascent. Smiling, she twisted again, enfolding her body around the brick and pressing her shoulder back into his chest. The brushing of bare skin was most distracting and it was plain to her that most of this game had been an excuse to touch the other while unseen underwater.

In moments they were nearing the surface, and at the last minute his arm slid right around her. She twisted in his hold to face him, setting one hand against his wet, lean chest, feeling the tickle of chest hair and the heat of him, uncensored by clothing. Just as they surfaced, she pushed away from him, and his arm slid from around her. She gasped a loud breath and held the brick up high overhead, away from him as he surfaced beside her in a splash of droplets. She laughed victoriously.

"Be careful you two," Lieutenant Martins called out from the side. "I was getting worried there."

"We are fine, Lieutenant," Teyla called back cheerfully as she still held up her brick. "He was not fighting fairly that is all."

"Me?!" John objected as he ran his hands through his wet hair.

"He always cheats in training drills," Martins replied, only for John to turn and frown at him. "Umm, Sir."

"Do not be a sore loser, John, I simply bested you," she teased as she pushed further away from him through the water, splashing him as she did so. She felt victorious and thrilled from how his body had felt against hers, his hands on her. She knew that she had won most of the challenge by using that to her advantage, but she was still the victor.

"You were the one who cheated," John protested. "You went after me instead of the brick." He swam after her and so she twisted so that the brick was furthest from him. "Not saying that was the wrong choice of course," he added quieter for her ears only.

She grinned and steadied herself still in the water. "Shall we play again?"

"Pool is closing in one minute," Martins called out, apparently having overheard her comment and she felt quite disappointed.

"When we were having so much fun," she said to John.

He frowned at her to make it appear he was still annoyed at losing, but she knew it was an act. She turned away smoothly and swam towards the far end of the pool.

"Where do I put the brick?" She asked Lieutenant Martins, as along the poolside, the Marine was pulling himself up out of the water.

"I'll put it away, Teyla," Martins replied from where he was sorting something by his seat.

"It is no problem," Teyla offered as she neared the side.

"In the storage area near the spare floats," Martins replied. "Thanks."

"You need any help with anything?" John asked the Lieutenant from behind her, but Teyla focused on swimming to the corner steps that led out of the pool. Just ahead there was the exit to the showers and changing room, but she would put the brick away first. She reached the steps and slowly made her way up them, up out of the water, the brick tucked under one arm. As the cooler air surrounded her, she ran her free hand over her hair, squeezing out the excess water. She nodded to the Marine as he passed by her heading towards the showers, but she turned the other way towards the storage areas. She found the right cupboard and the shelf filled with other bricks and added hers to it. Her task complete, she turned to see John was out of the pool himself, droplets running down his chest and belly. As she reached him, he held up her small towel she had left at the far end of the room.

"This yours?" He asked.

He had his own towel draped around his neck, and she could see that he had dried his face and some of his hair - though most of it still remained vertical.

She smiled up at his hair as she took the towel from him. "Thank you, yes," she replied as she dried her face quickly. "This was wonderful, thank you," she told him as she lowered the towel.

She saw John's eyes lift up to hers, having likely been studying her bathing suit. "Glad you enjoyed it," he told her, his hands lifting to his towel and pulling it free from his neck. The full extent of his wide bare chest filled her view, but past him she could see Martins moving around, setting about whatever duties were necessary upon closing the pool. Her attention on the Lieutenant drew John's and he looked round over his shoulder, which twisted his body in very interesting ways.

His swimming trunks were plastered to his body.

She snapped her eyes up from his hips and groin. "We should use the showers before he closes up."

"Yeah, we should," he agreed as he looked back round at her, but she was already moving ahead, leading the way to the open doorway that was their exit, silently chastising herself for staring at John's groin in public.

The wide exit led to a narrow corridor in which there was a wide channel set low in the floor, and as she and John stepped into it, warm water showered down over them from above. She reached up and ran her hands over her pined hair, squeezing out the water as it soaked through. Beside her John threw his small towel ahead out of the water, which she had neglected to do, and ran his hands over his arms in the shower. She watched with far too much interest and, as he stepped up out of the channel first, he afforded her an excellent view of his backside in his tight wet trunks. He paused and looked back at her, so she stepped up after him, the shower shutting off immediately.

Another channel ahead of them afforded a rush of hot drying air from the sides and from above, just enough to take off the most of the water. She closed her eyes and enjoyed the heat, turning slowly in the dry air. She could have a proper shower back in her quarters, but she was clean and mostly dry now. She could pull on her workout clothes and walk back to her quarters without having to remove her swimsuit.

She turned to John to see him leaning right into the hot air and rubbing a hand vigorously through his hair and she had to laugh, but he fortunately could not hear her over the hot air. Dry enough herself, she stepped up out of the channel. From here there were several cubicles where people could change in privacy and several toilets. However, they would proceed straight round to the left which would lead to the main changing room where they had left their things earlier, and where presumably the Marine was now changing since the cubicles and stalls were empty.

The hot air behind her stopped and she moved forward, only for John's hand to catch around her elbow. She paused immediately and looked back at him.

He leant back to peer back the way they had come, and seeming satisfied presumably that Lieutenant Martins was not following them, he turned back to her and his grip on her elbow tightened.

She understood his intention, though somewhat surprised by it, as he pulled her gently to one side, more out of view of anyone, and his other hand wrapped around her back, pulling her up against him. She reached up and set her palms against his bare chest, something she had been eager to do out of the water as she had done in it. He felt even better out of the water, and the dry warm heat of his body and the fresh scent of his skin filled her senses as she reached up and met his mouth with hers.

It was not the greeting type of kiss they had missed out on in the pool. It was instead a kiss born of the repressed teasing in the pool and the knowledge that they could be discovered at any moment. It was to be quick, and perhaps therefore needed to be even more fulfilling.

His mouth was insistent upon hers, his lips parting hers immediately and she murmured faintly at the fast touch of his tongue against hers. Sliding her hands up his shoulders, she pressed her chest against his, and tightened her hands around the back of his neck. She held on tightly to him as their tongues danced quickly, their breaths loud and short to her ears, and she felt her breasts tingle with awareness of the single thin layer of her swimsuit between her body and his.

The sudden sound of voices had John pulling his lips from hers and she opened her eyes. Lieutenant Martins was speaking with the Marine in the main changing room.

They were out of time.

She let go of John quickly, or else be tempted to hide away with him and taste him once more. Martins would check the entire place before he left, as was part of his duty, and so she quickly turned away from John. Clasping her wet towel, still around her neck, tightly to her so that it covered her aroused breasts she stepped forward towards the changing room, feeling a rushing anticipation of perhaps where this evening's goodnight kiss might lead.

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TBC


	10. Alone Together

**Note: **Well Jeyla demanded hotness for this fic, and I hope that this chapter fulfils that for you Hun. Sorry for the delay, but you know the story. And no, I promise, no cliff hanger this time...

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**Chapter 10 – Alone Together **

Teyla walked calmly into the main changing room, her steps even and a polite smile ready on her face. However, inside, her heart was hammering with a sharply risen arousal born so quickly by John's short yet passionate kiss. She held tightly onto the ends of the small towel around her neck, holding the cloth close over her body, covering her acutely sensitive breasts.

Clearly the last half an hour in the pool had been far more arousing than she had been entirely aware, for John's sudden and dazzling kiss had brought all of it blazingly alight so swiftly.

Fortunately the slightly cooler air in the main changing room was a cold balm across her skin and what she thought might be her bright red cheeks. No one would comment though, for surely it was expected when having just been through a warm shower and the burst of hot drying air.

John had not followed her immediately out of the shower area, having turned back for his towel which he had thrown aside during his shower, but she was now aware of him following her down the length of the changing room, heading towards where their things waited on the left side bench.

To the right side of the narrow room, the Marine was dressed and focused on pushing his towel into his bag. The bag full, he swept it up and moved quickly away towards the exit, looking back over his shoulder as he did.

"Evening, Colonel, Teyla," he said politely, the first words she had heard him utter.

"Riggs," John replied immediately, using his 'Colonel' professional tone, which made her want smile. Over the last few days, she had discovered such a new side to John, for though he had been her friend and colleague for so long, it was only now that she felt she was getting to know him personally. As the true man behind personas and responsibilities. To hear his voice pitched to his professional tone only moments after he had hurriedly pulled her aside into a passionate kiss, felt very surreal and amusing to her.

The Marine disappeared from view as she reached where her and John's things sat on the bench. Feeling less conscious of her appearance now that her body had begun to cool down and they were alone, she turned to her things with a smile. She dropped the small wet towel from around her neck, and pulled out her large dry towel.

As she draped it around her shoulders, absorbing the water that was dripping down still from her pinned up hair, John arrived at her side. He sat down immediately on the bench and pulled his own towel free. She tried to keep her eyes away from him, away from the large expanse of broad bare chest and the nicely muscular shoulder and arm just by her. She could reach out barely a few inches and touch his skin, but she needed to distract herself away from such thoughts right now.

What might happen when they reached her or his quarters later would be an entirely different matter though, and her mind wandered into thoughts of dragging him into her room, pulling his mouth to hers, pressing her chest against his...

Movement to the right drew her attention sharply and she looked round, almost eagerly ready to embrace any distraction. Lieutenant Martins stepped into view in the entrance to the changing room.

"Ah, I'll wait until you've changed until I check the cubicles in the back," he suggested, his tone somewhat cautious, and Teyla realised he was looking only at her.

"It is alright, Lieutenant," she replied, understanding that he was concerned about entering the room while she might be changing. "I am not going to change, please keep to your checks."

"If you're sure?" He asked, and Teyla thought she saw some relief in his expression.

"Yes," she replied with a smile to put him at ease, "it is fine."

The younger man smiled with definite relief as he moved forward, entering the changing room and heading down its narrow length.

"Great, I'll be out of your hair in a minute," he said brightly.

Teyla looked around to see John watching the Lieutenant with a frowning smile.

"You got a hot date to get to, Martins?" he asked as he ran one end of his towel over one long muscular arm.

"Ah, I'd rather not say, Sir," Martins replied cautiously as he reached down and picked up several fallen paper cups. Teyla exchanged an interested look with John before turning back to the Lieutenant.

"So that's a yes," John concluded. "Who is she, Martins?" He asked with a teasing curious smile as he ran his towel across his chest and middle. Teyla looked away and focused on pulling the pins free from her hair.

"We're kind of keeping things quiet at the moment, Sir," Martins replied carefully, but with a smile in his voice as he moved further away, checking under the benches.

"Totally understand, Lieutenant," John replied, his tone still teasing, but Teyla glanced at him once more to see him smile up at her. He was rubbing one corner of his towel over his hair now, and she noticed that it was doing nothing to improve the spikiness of the locks.

"As big as this city is," Martins continued as he worked his way down the room, tidying up things as he went, "it's too small a world, if you get my drift."

Teyla pulled the last of her hair pins free and dropped them all down into her bag, before running her fingers through her damp freed hair.

"She is Military or scientist?" John asked the Lieutenant, "You can tell us that at least."

Martins had reached the far end of the room and now disappeared from view as he checked the cubicles and toilets. "Scientist," he called back.

Teyla smiled as she angled her head and squeezed the ends of her hair, watching the far end of the room where Martins had vanished. Her body felt cooler now, the rasping rush of arousal abated for now, and she felt happily relaxed and at ease.

Her gaze drifted to John again, only to find him already looking up at her from his seat on the bench. His eyes held a heat that told her he had been admiring the fit of her swimsuit, and he smiled up at her in a way that was somehow both sheepish at having been caught looking at her, but also confident and enticing.

She felt her heart rate jump once more.

"I'd appreciate it if it didn't get back to Dr McKay though," Lieutenant Martins called out from the cubicles, continuing the conversation of which she had already lost track. John looked away from her sharply, looking down towards where the Lieutenant now reappeared. "He'll only lecture me like he did poor Kai about dating 'above our station' with one of his genius scientists."

John chuckled in reply to the other man, but it was forced to Teyla's eyes. "She's in McKay's department? You're a brave man, Martins."

"I didn't say she was in _his_ department," Martins replied hurriedly as he headed back towards them.

"Too late now, Lieutenant," John replied mockingly, as he began running his towel over his chest once more. Teyla was certain he was dry by now and could not help but speculate as to why he was still seated on the bench with the majority of his towel lying across his lap. She looked away from him with a knowing, wondering smile. She had to stop herself from staring at him so openly though in front of others. So instead she focused on running her towel over her hair once more and angling her head to encourage some water out of her ear.

"But, McKay won't hear it from us, will he, Teyla?" John asked.

Pulled abruptly directly into the conversation, Teyla paused, having been attempting to get the water out of her ear by working her jaw and tilting her head.

"You can trust in us, Lieutenant," she promised and felt a satisfying sensation of a bubble bursting in her right ear and her hearing instantly improved.

"I'm not saying she's directly in Dr McKay's department," the Lieutenant insisted again as he passed by them, his tone a little worried at John's teasing. "Just that she's a scientist."

"Okay, Lieutenant," John grinned.

Teyla shook her head at John, knowing that if he were on the other end of the discussion, being asked about her, she was certain he would be quiet uncomfortable.

"I've got to go check the kiddie pool and then shut the lights down in the main pool," Martins said with clear relief to get away from the conversation.

As he left, Teyla looked round at John with a rebuking smile, ready to tease him in turn, only John's eyes met hers and she was once again distracted by the open heat in them.

"Pretty late for a date, don't you think?" He asked with a smile.

She was thrown for a brief moment, thinking he was referring to them, only to realise he was speaking about Lieutenant Martins' date.

She glanced down at her watch, lying partly out of her bag. "He has to arrange his date around his duties," she replied rationally, but she had already understood John's implication.

"Maybe it's their third date," John suggested, his gaze focused past her to the entrance, through which she could hear the Lieutenant moving around, shutting down the main pool.

She shook her head at John, and leant down a fraction closer to him to draw his full attention. His eyes snapped up to hers.

"It is none of our business," she told him, speaking softly and teasingly, enjoying standing taller than him as well as the way his pupils slid wider as he looked up at her. He lifted his eyebrows as his only response to her point, for his gaze slipped down now, down to the neckline of her swimsuit, which now she was leant down further towards him was perhaps gaping slightly.

A rush of powerful delight and sexual confidence flowed through her, and she smiled as she stood upright once more, arching her back slightly as she did. John's eyes rose back up to her face, slower than was necessary, and she saw him take a deep breath. As his eyes met hers he smiled. It was that wide sexy smile he had used on her last night, the one that made her breath catch and her nipples tighten.

She understood it was his response to her blatant sexual play, and she had to admit it was very effective. She lifted an eyebrow of her own before she looked away from him, lifting her towel once more to her hair, and only slightly lifting her chest a little higher than normal.

"Almost locked up here," Lieutenant Martins called out from the next room.

Anticipating his arrival any moment now, she once more secured her towel right around her, concealing her aroused skin.

"He _is_ eager to get out of here," John chuckled. "Wonder which one of Rodney's team he's dating."

"He said she was not a part of Rodney's department," she replied as she pulled her trousers and hooded top out from her bag.

"Yeah, he's way too insistent on that part," John smiled.

She frowned at him. "You did promise not to mention anything to Rodney," she reminded him pointedly.

His eyebrows rose with pretend shock as he pointed at himself as if her suggestion was a complete affront. He had no time to add a comment to his theatrical display of innocence though, for Lieutenant Martins' footsteps were approaching outside the entrance.

She gave him one last pointed look, though was unable to keep a smile from her lips entirely, for his wide eyed innocence was very endearing and amusing. She was not fooled though; she knew him far too well, and was learning more about him with each passing day.

Lieutenant Martins arrived into the entranceway with a loud flourish of boot steps, and Teyla looked round to him as she shook out her trousers.

"Everything's all shut down and locked up tight, Colonel," Martins reported, his eagerness to leave clear beneath his professional wording. "Just these lights and the exit to lock up after us."

"Don't wait for us, Martins," John offered, very kindly in Teyla's opinion. "Go get the girl."

She couldn't help smiling at the Lieutenant's responding bright expression. "If you're sure, Colonel?" He asked, but he was already moving backwards towards the passageway that led to the exit doors.

"Go, Lieutenant. We can lock up behind us," John replied.

"Thank you, Sir," Martins responded as he moved away faster. "Night, Teyla," he added as he turned and hurried away out of sight.

Teyla smiled as she returned her attention to her clothes. As she set her trousers down on the bench, now feeling free to remove her large towel from around her, she could hear the main doors open and close behind the departing Martins.

She and John were free now to depart in their own time, and the anticipation of what might follow teased at her.

Though it was not in the way of her people for a woman to initiate a relationship, it was not the same when initiating intimacies within an established relationship, and she was sorely tempted to invite John to stay the night with her tonight.

What concerned she slightly however, was whether he would wish to so soon in their courtship. She had heard tale of the third date rule that men from John's culture spoke of, and which he had even mentioned this evening in relation to Lieutenant Martins, but she was not sure if it was more talk than actual expectation. Besides, on thinking of her and John's time together over the last few days, it was difficult to actually relate any outing as a 'date' with him. They had met up before and after their duty shifts, but could those be described as 'dates'? She believed that 'dates' in his culture were set times when a couple went somewhere together, sharing an activity such as watch a movie out, go for a meal or a walk. It was similar to courting among her own people, but her and John's time together so far was not so easy to define.

Could this evening in fact be their first official date? Which could mean that it was too soon for them to share more.

She had not realised before now how complicated dating a man from another galaxy would turn out to be. She should perhaps ask a female friend for further advice on Earth dating. Perhaps Jennifer - Teyla would trust her not to share any details with another else.

"He couldn't have run out of here any faster," John commented as he stood up from the bench beside her, pulling her attention back to the present and the new silence which followed as the main doors slid shut down the passageway outside.

"He is eager for his date as you suggest," she said, very much aware of him stood beside her now, turning and putting his own towel down on the bench, leaving it piled up on top of his bag.

"Speaking of dates..." he said, his tone now deeper and enticing, and she felt him move closer to her side.

She looked up at him with a smile as he moved even closer, stepping right into her personal space, his chest and shoulders filling her view. The warm pressure of his hand slid across the middle of her back, teasing and gloriously relieving. She had waited far too long to feel him touch her again. She turned towards him excitedly, and lifted her hands back up to his bare chest, sliding her fingers into his chest hair and pressing her palms against his skin. His hand continued to slide around the middle of her back, encircling her in his arm, and his forearm tightened around her back, drawing her closer.

She pressed herself unselfconsciously up against him, eager to feel him against her, as she drew in a deep breath of him, once more tasting the clean male scent of his skin and that elemental masculine scent that was essentially John. She rose up slightly on her toes, arching her back as she slid her hands up his chest to his shoulders. He was so gloriously warm and hard in all the right places, which included the ridge pressing against her lower belly, confirming her former conclusion as to why he had remained seated all this time, his lap covered. That pure physical demonstration of how aroused he too felt, drove her own threads of desire together, building and raging her forward. And as she tilted her head back, lifting her mouth up towards his descending lips, she closed her eyes tightly, and surrendered entirely to the moment, to him and to herself.

His mouth pressed down onto hers, his free hand sliding around the back of her hair, supporting her head, as he pressed his mouth heavily against hers, forcing their lips tightly together. She opened her mouth as soon as his warm lips eased from hers, and ran her hands up around the back of his neck, gripping the back of his hair at his nape, drawing his mouth immediately back to hers.

Open mouths met, breaths wet, and tongues sliding together, sealing tightly. She sucked in as much breath as she could through her nose, his scent filling her head, and drew on his tongue, sucking and releasing. With that, the kiss exploded into something far more carnal than they had shared before, but it was so naturally born that it felt so very right.

Time slipped away from her consciousness, for all that there could be was his mouth against hers, his tongue, his lips, the freedom of passion unleashed. At the edge of her awareness she felt his hands sliding up her back, clasping her hair, then down to her waist and her backside, holding her up tightly against his erection. She pushed up higher on her toes, trying to align their bodies together, following the primitive urge to feel that ridge of penetrative flesh against her sensitive and aching centre. Deep emptiness pulsed down inside her, throbbing between her legs, demanding fulfilment. It sang up through her, to where his hands slid against her, tightening, caressing, and holding her to him so forcefully.

She became aware they were moving - that he was drawing her with him. She broke her eyes open as their mouths parted. She could barely see, the passion pounding her blood through her body, making her almost lightheaded.

She focused enough from her pulsing body to watch John lowering, sitting down on the bench. His hands drew on her, pulling her down to sit with him, on his lap to continue their kisses. She could think of nothing better, but not across his lap, she instead placed her hands on his shoulders, using him to support her as she lifted one knee up onto the bench beside his hip. She watched his eyes widen with understanding and then with darker excitement as his hands slid around her middle, holding her as she balanced her weight on her knee and in the support of his hands, as she swung her other knee up to the bench on the other side of him.

She paused a moment, held up over him, her eyes locked down with his, before she began to lower herself down to sit astride his lap. She took her time, enjoying the moment of their chests sliding against each others, his chest hair teasing against her breasts even through the material of her swimsuit. She was acutely aware of the wide width of his hips between her knees, of his strong large thighs meeting her buttocks, and the long ridge of his arousal she trapped down beneath her. For the first time they were properly pressed together, bodies flush together and as she settled down onto him, his mouth met hers hotly, his arms tight around her back.

His kiss was rough now, almost desperate, but she matched him with it, for now there were to be no boundaries between them. No pretence, no place left untouched. She could not hold back now even if she wished to, for she had wanted this for too long. He felt incredible, unstoppably filling her heart, and she ached for him to fill her body just as thoroughly. If she could have merged them entirely together she would have in this moment.

One of his hands slid around the back of her neck, sliding up into her hair, squeezing, massaging and she leant to one side enough to re-angle their mouths, the kiss leaving no doubt as to what was going to happen now between them.

Slowly she pulled her lips from his, holding her mouth over his, his tongue just inside her lips, and she rocked her body gently, sliding her pelvis, belly, and breasts against him. His hands tightened on her back, and he let out a soft sigh.

She opened her eyes to see rapture on his face, his eyes closed, as she rocked again, moving slowly and purposefully. He let out a long breath that was part moan, and she smiled at the pleasure that she was able to give him so simply. She leant her mouth in and brushed her lips against his cheek, down around his chin and back up to his mouth. He murmured a deep rumbling growl as his mouth captured hers, his arms wrapping back around her, one hand slipping back up to her neck.

Only it wasn't just resting there; she felt him pulling at the clasp of her swimsuit where it was secured up around the back of her neck. Their kiss lightened as his other hand joined the first, and with only a moment's study with his fingertips, he parted the clasp.

She pulled her swollen full lips from his and sat up and back enough to allow some space between them. He pulled the two ends of her swimsuit's ties slowly over her shoulders, loosening the material over her chest, and she watched him with hopeful, excited anticipation, as the material lowered further. His eyes dropped from hers, down her throat as the top of her swimsuit fell down, the ties falling from his hands. She drew in a breath, encouraging the fabric fully down off her lifted aroused breasts. The touch of the air was almost as arousing against her sensitive skin across her breasts as was watching his eyes widen, his eyes somehow darkening further.

She took another breath, feeling the weight of her breasts and the further tightening of her nipples, before she leant back in against him, eager to feel him against her.

John's nose nuzzled in against her throat, up against her jaw to her ear as their chests met.

"Teyla," he whispered against her skin, and she squeezed her eyes closed with a rush of passion to hear her name on his aroused lips. She heard herself moan, a loud feminine sound she had not thought she could make, as she rubbed her breasts against the tantalising width of his chest, his chest hair teasing her skin. His hands gripped at her back, drawing her tighter against him, and his nose and mouth slid deeper into the cradle of her throat.

She ran one hand up into his hair, holding him against her, as the desire roared through her almost to the point of orgasm.

His hands slid up her sides, one slipping between their bodies and suddenly his hot palm was covering her left breast. He squeezed and massaged, as he had done last night, but now there was nothing between their skin, and he was far bolder with his touch. She arched her back for a moment, but then pulled back enough to drop her mouth down against his again, initiating another long wet kiss.

As their mouths worked together, embracing the moment, pushing further and satisfying all together, his hand massaged gently and she rocked her pelvis against him again.

He felt wonderful, but his hand was no longer enough. She tore her mouth from his and reached blindly out to the wall behind him as she rose up onto her knees. His hands latched to her sides, holding her up but also pulling her to him, and his mouth surrounded her left nipple.

She cried out in grateful delight, the sound echoing off the plain empty walls of the changing room around them. As his mouth sucked and licked, she flattened her hands against the wall, only for the cooler touch of a wall hook to meet her right hand. She gripped tight hold of it, using it as support as she held herself up over his lap, her other hand tight in his hair.

His mouth lifted from her nipple, his breath ghosting across the wet tip. He breathed over her again, his lips brushing against her peak, coursing electric sensations up and through her. She looked down at him at her breast, and watched as he slid his lips down the natural slope of her breast into her cleavage. He inhaled deeply into the furrow of her cleavage before his tongue licked upwards, and she squeezed her eyes tightly closed at the sensation.

"You have no idea how long I've wanted to do that," his voice drifted up to her.

Despite her near delusional state, she processed his words and meaning and chuckled. She opened her eyes again and looked back down at him. He was brushing his lips across her other breast now, but his eyes were upturned to her. It was most arousing.

She caressed her hand through his hair and felt his lips meet the side of her untouched nipple. She dropped her gaze from his eyes to his mouth, just barely discernible among the shadows, but she saw his lips part and surround her.

This time she let out a willing moan as his wet hot mouth sucked and his tongue teased.

His hands were moving now, sliding up her back, capturing the top of her swimsuit bunched around her ribs. He tugged at it, pulling the material down past her waist, down to her hips. His hands slipped inside the material, pushing it down over the wide flare of her hips. She dropped her head back as his hands slid down to her thighs, pushing the swimsuit down off her body.

His mouth lifted from her breast as the swimsuit caught, and his hands slid around to her backside, pushing the fabric away as much as he was gripping her buttocks.

Eager to help and remove the clothing, but unwilling to get down from the bench and his lap, she rocked her weight onto one knee whilst she looked up. The higher row of wall hooks was just above her head. She reached up and pulled herself upwards by one hook, finding another with her other hand. She pushed up off the one knee to stand up on the bench, setting one foot on its surface beside John's hip. Following along very quickly with her plan, John held onto her swimsuit, so as she stood up fully, the material slid down to her knees. Cool air once again met her newly bared skin, and this time she felt it through the hot and now wet space between her legs.

John's mouth pressed against her lower belly, his tongue touching within the kiss, as she lifted one foot up from the bench. Without lifting his mouth from her skin, he swiftly tugged down one side of the swimsuit off her foot, but as she set her foot back down, shifting her weight to lift the other, John's mouth pulled back from her belly. She watched downwards as he watched her lift her other leg, and he, far more slowly this time, drew the swimsuit off her foot, finally leaving her naked.

His head dropped backwards immediately then, his eyes sliding up her body to meet hers as she set her foot back down onto the bench. She reached down with one hand and ran her fingers through his hair, feeling a moment of rushing softer affection in the carnal moment.

He smiled up at her. "You're so beautiful, Teyla," he told her as his hands slid up her legs.

"As are you," she replied softly as she balanced her weight and released the wall hook so she could reach down to him with both her hands. She stroked her fingers down his cheeks and then back up into his hair as he leant forward and pressed a soft kiss to her belly again.

"Hold on to something," he said against her skin with that cheeky playful tone she was beginning to associate with flirtatious arousal.

She followed his advice without thought, reaching up to hold onto one of the hooks again, but suddenly his intention became obvious. Despite her plan to once more sit down on his lap again, he had other ideas.

His mouth slid lower down from her navel, and one of his hands tightened around the back of her right knee, asking her to lift it. She gasped with understanding, feeling her first moment of shyness, but it was momentary, for his mouth had already begun to descend. Guided by his hand, she set her knee on his shoulder, opening herself to him, and his mouth slid intimately between her legs.

It was shocking and beyond arousing. Instantly engulfed by the sensation, she leant into him, lifting her body further to give him more access to her, lifting her knee from his shoulder to set her foot there instead.

Despite the difficult angle for them both, his kisses and his tongue swept her up into a sudden tornado of passion. Holding a tight grip of two of the wall hooks, she dropped her head backwards, lost in the sensation, feeling it roaring up through her, and in barely an instant the orgasm hit her full force.

She cried out loudly, nearly reaching a shockingly high pitch. She reached down with one hand and gripped the back of his head as he rode her spasming body, his hands tight on her buttocks.

When she would have pulled back from him, her body softening, he kept her with him. His mouth teasing against her freshly aroused flesh a little longer, and she took the moment to gather her breath. Only then she felt the touch of his fingers, teasing and discovering gently. She leant her body forward, holding tightly onto the wall hooks as he touched her, exploring and stroking.

What only a few seconds ago had felt like satisfied fulfilment, his questing touch was now quickly reminding her flesh that at a deeper level she was still waiting. However, she did not wish to remain stood over him for this.

She set her now slightly cramping right foot down from his shoulder back down to the bench. She felt the slight wobble to her stance, but it did not matter, for John's hands slid around her hips, once again understanding what she wished. He pressed kisses against her belly again, and as she began to lower herself back down to her knees astride him, his kisses travelled up her body. He nuzzled up into her cleavage as she settled onto her knees. She ran her hands into his hair as she lowered herself further, her thighs a little shaky still under her, but elegance was the furthest thing from her mind.

John's kisses slid up her chest, up to her throat as she lowered herself back down to feel his far harder erection between her legs. She paused only a moment there before sitting back slightly in his lap so she could reach down to the waistband of his still pool wet swimming trunks. As she worked her fingers between his skin and the wet waistband, his own fingers slid down between her legs, once more seeking out her core.

His mouth nuzzled against her cheek as she worked to lower his damp swimming trunks, but he had to work with her, lifting one side of his butt and then the other, until she could peal the material down. He had to finally pull his hands from her, though he kept his nose and lips against her throat as he shifted upwards to pull his trunks down off his hips. She lifted up from him to give him space to slide the material down his thighs. She took the moment to enjoy stroking her hands through his hair, down his neck and across his shoulders, sharing a smile with him as he shifted one last awkward time to free himself of his single piece of clothing.

She lowered herself back down onto his thighs, now slightly damp from his trunks, and reached back to push the trunks down off his knees. She took the time to stroke his knees and lower thighs, glorying in the width of them and the bizarre fact that even that part of him was absurdly handsome to her. With one arm around her middle, he shifted to lift one foot and she smiled as he kicked the trunks away across the floor. She twisted back round to him, aware that finally they were naked together, and watched as he slid his free palm up her belly, up through her cleavage, up to her throat and back down again. She pulled herself back closer to him again, lowering her gaze to take in the hard long length of his bared arousal. She slid her fingers gently down him, surrounding his shaft with her hand, whilst he simultaneously slid his hand back down her front. She lifted her gaze up his most handsome body, up to his eyes, and saw him look back up to her.

She thought she saw the faintest touch of nervousness in his eyes, or perhaps self consciousness. She ran her hand back down his shaft, and watched as the faint discomfort in his expression disappeared into passion once more. His eyes partly closed and his lips parted further.

"Is that good?" She asked him quietly, though suspecting she knew the answer for sure.

"Oh, yeah," he managed to reply and it looked like it had been a struggle for him to put it so simply.

She ran her other hand up across his chest as she leant in closer to him, trapping his erection within her hand between their bodies. She ran her free hand up the side of his neck, drawing him to look up at her as she moved closer. His expression was so open, so relaxed, and his eyes glazed with passion. She cupped his jaw in her hand and pressed her lips softly to his.

She kissed him then with as much love as she could, finding soft gentle passion within the raw, and his mouth was just as soft in return. His hands caressed softly across her back in smooth, arousing strokes, covering as much of her as he could. His hands ran over her hips, her thighs, her sides, around her ribcage, down her arms and up across her shoulders. Then round between them, his hands covering both her breasts, cupping, holding and massaging, whilst they kissed, slow, easy, but with a now growing return to the faster, more intensely demanding.

As one of his hands slid back down between her legs, she returned her attention to stroking his penis. As his fingers slowly circled and slid between her intimate folds, seeking her entrance, she in turn slowly and carefully ran her fingers over his length, discovering the feel of him, the softness over the hard. It was only when she trailed her fingertips over the swollen head of him that his fingers finally penetrated up into her.

It was that moment that once again pushed them back away from the gentle and slow. She gasped loudly, reaching up to his chest with both hands now, her hips undulating without thinking. His eyes sparkled in the overhead lighting as she looked down at him. He was looking at her intently now, focused and intense, as he pressed a finger deeper up into her, sliding inside her aching parting flesh.

She gasped again as he circled his finger inside her, working higher. She was finding it hard to breathe now, having to hold tightly onto his shoulders, holding herself up off his thighs to give him more room, to allow her to move. He drew his finger down and up again inside her, circling and massaging within her. She had not been touched quite this way before, not with such focus. Lovers had pleasured her this way, but quickly, reading her for them only. John seemed only intent on watching her as he touched her. She made herself focus on him in turn, and saw him smile up at her.

"Good?" He asked.

"Yes," she whispered out long and passionate. She blinked and tried to focus, but it was difficult. "You..."

He slid another finger slowly up into her, joining the other. She rocked her hips on his penetration. She wanted to rock, to surge, to lose abandon in an entirely new way for her.

His other hand slid around her back, his forearm against her backside. "Up again," he asked her, drawing her upwards, back up onto her knees. "Just let me..."

He didn't finish his request, for she did as he asked, rising up onto her knees again, but she plastered herself to him this time. He burrowed his nose and mouth against her chest as he began to thrust his fingers up into her with increasing speed and depth. She held onto his head and hair tightly, crying out at her growing wetness, at the building passion, feeling herself tightening around his fingers. Feeling the world disappearing once more.

A part of her wanted to slow down, to take him inside her, to help him enjoy passion as she was, but he was relentless in his giving, in pushing her towards another release that promised to be better than the first.

She rocked against him, clasping at his head, neck and shoulders, begging out loud. Stretching her with a third finger, he gripped tightly to her, slowing his penetration, but pushing up deeper into her. She became aware that he was panting her name, begging her to let go, to come for him. She held tightly to him and held still above him and let him work into her, let him pleasure her, her eyes shut and her mouth wide open. Until suddenly, it roared like a wave upon her, and she cried out repeatedly, tightening hard around him, and his fingers slowed and thrust deep, holding still for her as she squeezed around him.

He was muttering to a divine being against her breast, saying the most flattering of words, but they all merged into one sweeping blissful fulfilling moment and she held on to him, feeling more empowered than ever before, whilst having surrendered like never before.

Spent, she draped herself down over his shoulders, whispering his name, but his fingers began moving again, softly, stroking, widening her once more.

She ran her hands down his naked long back, feeling the quivering tension in him, hearing his panting breaths clearly now. She reached up to his face, drawing him to look up to her as she kissed him.

He pulled his fingers from her, his arms both wrapping around her, pulling her down over him. She could feel the brushing touch of his erection against her wet swollen core, and she reached down between them to touch him, to gently pleasure him in turn.

He pulled back slightly though, twisting round towards his bag sat on the bench beside them. "I need..." he uttered breathlessly.

She understood and reached out, helping pull open the bag's top, and she watched as he dug inside and pulled out a small foil square. As he worked with slightly shaky hands to open it, she lifted an eyebrow at him.

"Do you normally carry those around in your swimming bag?" She teased him as she reached out and ran one hand through his hair, enjoying the sensation of the spiky tendrils between her fingers.

His eyes lifted from the packet with a pause of caution. "Umm," he began.

She smiled at him and took the packet from him, tearing it open easily, and pulling the sheath out.

"Just, you know, wanted to be prepared," he replied with a touch of worry around his breathlessness.

She grinned at him, enjoying the rush of power to tease him in such a moment. She turned the sheath in her fingers as she gave him another knowing look. "Have you been planning to seduce me with your swimming skills all this time?" She asked, her own voice sounding so unlike her normal self. She sounded husky, breathless herself, and almost wildly free.

He frowned faintly, but then lowered his eyes as she reached down and began applying the sheath. His caution transformed instantly into heat and a smile. "I've been carrying them with me everywhere since that night on the Glisi world," he confessed.

She chuckled as she slid the rubber sheath down his length, enjoying the way his breath hitched, and his hands slid back around her, pulling her chest up against his even before she had completed her task.

"Can you forgive me?" He asked against her, playful and so quickly confident again. It was a contrast about him that always fascinated her – he could go from appearing awkward and cautious to being a bold, determined warrior, or in this case, lover.

She pulled her hands up from between their bodies, running her fingers up his belly, feeling the muscles twitch with arousal as she did so. She pulled back enough to watch her hands sliding up over his hair covered pectoral muscles and then out to his nipples. She circled them delicately, lifting her eyes to his to see if he liked the sensation.

Feeling the small nipples tighten under her fingertips and seeing his eyes lower to her mouth, she felt her own teasing nature mixing with arousal once more. She leant in towards him just as his hands rose up her sides to her breasts. She pressed her chest to his, trapping her hands between them, and she brushed her lips across the tantalising handsome angles of his cheek and jaw, until she reached his ear.

"Have you wished to be inside me for so long, John?" She asked him against right his ear, feeling thrilling excitement at being so bold and forward.

He drew in a deep full breath at her question, which lifted her with him since she was pressed so tightly to his chest.

He turned his head, brushing his mouth against her cheek in turn. "No," he whispered back and she felt a surprised shock of disappointment, "I've wanted to for years."

She squeezed her eyes shut, abruptly overwhelmed by his confession and feeling it soaring to join with her own long held desire.

She opened her eyes and pulled her cheek away from his too look down at him. "You need only have asked," she confessed in return before she reached down between them, capturing his erection in her hand and guiding the smooth, coated head between her legs to where she ached to hold him.

As the thick head of him met her entrance she lifted her hand back up, drawing herself closer to him, as his mouth pressed to her throat.

"Teyla," he whispered almost reverently to her as she began to lower herself onto him, feeling him pushing up inside her. She took her time, allowing her body to adapt to his invasion, as well as so to enjoy every millimetre of him entering her.

Pressed cheek to cheek, arms around each other, she took him into her, her breathing racing, her heart hammering, and pleasure rising hotly from deep inside her. She held onto him tightly, as his hands swept over her, drawing her mouth down to his for a kiss as long and breathless as they were capable. And finally, with one last rock of her hips, he was buried deep inside her to his hilt, and he groaned against her, his arms wrapped around her, holding her to him.

"God, Teyla," he panted.

"John," she whispered long and loud as she began to roll her hips. He groaned again at her second rock and she pulled her lips back from his cheek to look down at him as she rocked her hips, sliding him inside her.

He looked up at her, his lips parted and wet, his breathing loud, and his eyes wide. "Oh, yes," he panted. "That's so good," he uttered, his eyes closing. "God, Teyla," he repeated.

She smiled at that, moving more boldly, twisting slightly as she moved, and his hands slid down to her backside, gripping and relaxing with her movements.

"John," she begged, leaning hard against him enough that he was able to lift his hips and join her in their merging.

His mouth found hers, teasing and sealing with hers. She kissed him as best she could, but she was tiring from her previous releases and her thighs were beginning to burn.

He felt so good, so wonderful, she could live like this, with him sliding into her, so slowly, so smoothly, barely any movement, just rocking, grinding her most sensitive area against his groin, sending her higher, climbing the pleasure once more so that she could barely think...

She held onto him, digging her fingers into him, pressing her lips to his shoulder, drinking him in, his scent, his hands tight, his mouth...

He moved abruptly, his arms around her, and suddenly he was lifting her, turning them.

The smooth warm bench met her back and she sighed with relieved delight to suddenly be free of all tension, all need to hold herself up, for now she just laid back, her knees lifted around John's waist as he laid over her, his thrusts now free and smooth.

She spread her legs wider, making more room for him as she reached for him, pulling him down fully over her.

He filled her world, his chest, throat, jaw, cheek and mouth kissing downwards, her nipple surrounded by his hot mouth, his tongue, wet and sliding around her as between her legs, he slid in and out of her, faster, deeper.

She pulled at his shoulders, needing him up over her again, and he responded just as she asked, his chest pressing down over hers.

She wrapped her legs and arms around him, delighting in the pure feel of his weight over her.

She moaned his name to him, wanting him to understand how much he aroused her, how wonderful he felt pushing inside her, lying over her.

His mouth covered hers, demanding and penetrating just as she wanted.

She slid her palms down his undulating back, following dips of spine and moving muscle, over ribs and the rise of his buttocks. She gripped them as they moved, powering him into her.

He filled her deeply between her legs, sliding and rubbing. With barely a thought she begged for him to move faster and he responded, his buttocks thick and powerful in her hands, his mouth hot on her collarbone, grazing up her throat.

Faster and deeper he rocked, all the world was just them, merging, for only passion, feeling and cries meant anything to her now.

She could barely think, to process anything, but how he made her feel.

She opened her legs wider, her left knee bumping the wall, which was cool but supportive, whilst her other knee hung in empty air off the bench. She pulled her legs up higher, and he groaned, pulling back from her throat to look down between their bodies to where they were joining.

It was enough for her to begin to come once more.

She cried out, squeezing her legs back around him, gripping the back of his neck and he shuddered.

"Teyla," he cried, "God, yes...please," he uttered, barely finishing the words as she felt his rhythm completely falter. She pulled his mouth to her cheek as she tightened herself around him.

She moaned out her own passion, her orgasm rushing through her as she felt him hammer against her, shudder, and his entire body tensed within her embrace.

She opened her eyes to see him caught in the moment, his mouth hovering over hers, her name a whisper and prayer as he thrust again, pouring the last of himself into his own rushing orgasm.

She held him through it, glorying in the shared spectacular wildness of it, of the powerful elemental nature of him naked and passionate, giving of himself and taking of her.

She held his gaze then, feeling the moment rushing deeper, sharing what she never had before, and she knew with a deep instinct that she had been waiting for this for so long. And that she could not conceive of ever giving it up.

The moment broke, back into gasps, weakened bodies and his weight collapsed the last distance down over her. She held onto him, holding his panting mouth to her throat and his hips in the cradle of hers, as they breathed each other in, almost falling off the bench together in the empty echoing space of the changing room.

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TBC


	11. Emergence

**A Quick Grammatical Note: **Please no questions about the use of 'a herbal tea', the grammar is correct for British English, but American friends will immediately think it should be 'an herbal'. I am going with the belief that Teyla speaks with a more British-like pronunciation of words, where we pronounce the 'h' in herb and therefore use 'a herbal tea', so I am going with that. Any comments, please accept the difference and move on;)

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**Chapter 11 - Emergence **

The dim early morning light glowed softly over the wall across her quarters. For the last half an hour she had watched it moving, gradually brightening and angling further into her quarters around the tight lines of the curtains. The soft quiet of early morning was almost a weight around her, filling the air with comfort, accompanied only by John's soft breathing against her ear.

The last three days of her life had been extraordinary, though in truth any number of days could have passed by in embraces, kisses, and lovemaking, for if it had not been for the regular meals in the Mess Hall, she and John would likely not have emerged at all from her quarters.

Lying here now in her large bed, pressed up tight against John's naked side, she surveyed her quarters beyond the bed. There were cups and plates on the coffee table, her blanket tangled up in a pile by the sofa and pillows fallen to the floor. Various items of clothing were scattered across the room between the sofa and the bed, and she smiled at the memories the sight provoked.

She angled her head back slightly, drawing her eyes away from fallen clothing and the early light, to look up at John, dozing after their earlier escapades. He looked so relaxed and peaceful.

And he felt wonderful.

She pressed her cheek back down against his warm chest, his hair tickling against her skin. Smiling in peaceful comfort of her own, she stroked her hand across the wide handsome expanse of his upper chest, feeling his heart beating slowly deep under her touch. Trailing her fingers lazily upwards, she traced a line along his furthest collarbone, keeping her touch light so as not to disturb him.

She loved this part of him, though had many favourite other places now, but the flat muscular expanse between his nipples and his collarbones had become her new pillow. Flattening her hand, she ran her palm across his skin and chest hair, enjoying the masculine lines and heat filled with his scent. Turning her cheek, she pressed her nose and lips against his skin and inhaled deeply.

He shifted slightly under her abruptly, inhaling louder as he woke from his light doze. She tipped her head back, feeling the rise of his arm and shoulder behind her head, and smiled up at his handsome face.

His long eyelashes rose sleepily as he lifted his head up from the pillow, blinking slowly.

"Did I fall asleep again?" He asked with a broken deep, sleep-filled voice.

She smiled up at him as he looked blurrily around. "Only lightly," she replied, though truthfully he had been sleeping for half an hour, but he needed his rest. They both did, considering how active they had been over the last few days. She should have slept herself, but lying with him was just too enjoyable to miss. Besides, she was used to being quite sleep deprived as a mother.

"What time is it?" He asked as he focused down at her, the growing morning light showing how darker his chin had become through the night. At her shoulder, his fingers returned to their former absent circling against her bare skin.

"You will have to leave soon," she regretfully informed him as she enjoyed the play of shadows and light across his features. She had always thought him attractive, but now knew how truly handsome he was in body and soul. She had not expected how affectionate and passionate he had been through these past days.

"Is it six already?" He asked, tensing. His chest and belly tightening under her hand and leg as he strained up slightly to look over towards where her alarm clock stood on the bedside table. He was always a little slow and confused when he first woke up after a good sleep, and she found him particularly endearing in such soft honest times.

She pressed her hand flat against his chest. "In ten minutes it will be," she informed him.

His body relaxed instantly and he dropped his head back down to the pillow with a sleepy sigh. "Ten minutes, okay. That's good," he uttered as his eyes closed again.

Chuckling at him, she set her chin against his chest. "Do not fall asleep again," she warned.

He made a grumbling noise. "I can't help it," he replied, his lips lifting though his eyes remained closed. "You've tired me out."

She shook her head at his explanation of recent events, knowing he could feel her doing so against his shoulder and chest. "You hardly seemed unwilling," she pointed out to him.

"What chance has a guy like me got against you and your feminine wiles?" He suggested, his eyes still closed, but he was fully awake now for sure.

Adjusting herself against his side, she sat up a little from him, the covers falling away from her upper back. The air was cooler outside the covers, but almost immediately his warm hand slid up across her exposed skin, keeping away any chill.

"You seduce me as frequently I do you," she argued.

As she had expected, his eyes had finally opened again at her use of the word 'seduce'. He rolled his head against her pillow so that he was looking directly up at her and he smiled. He no doubt had discovered the power of his smile now, for far too frequently had he employed it over the last three days.

His eyes, sparkling and freshly bright in the morning, were shinning up at her with a familiar open warm appreciative look now, which always proved as seductive as his smile and kisses. She tried to control her expression, to appear unaffected by him during their 'discussion'.

"Let's face it," he said, his voice soft and warm, "we're both pretty easy.

She laughed at his summation, but she would not let him win this playful discussion that way. "I believe that you are 'easier' than I," she suggested and his eyebrows lifted, "for I only have to smile at you and you are ready to go."

He chuckled at that – yes, it was likely he was very aware of how powerful his smile was upon her.

"Like it takes more than that with you," he challenged as he lifted his free arm up from the covers, reaching over his head to plump up his pillow, allowing them to look more directly at each other.

She glanced away, trying to break the power of his smile for a moment before looking back to the teasing heat of his eyes. There was a new element to his gaze now after their three days today – and it was full of satisfaction, that she felt mirrored in her own heart, along with a full intimate knowledge of her body. He knew how best to make her tingle, dance, and moan. But then, she knew the same about him now as well.

"I do not know what you mean," she decided on as her argument as she sat up a little further from him, turning to rest up on her elbow, the covers falling down around her waist, exposing her breasts to his gaze. She smiled down at him, as his gaze slipped down to her chest.

His eyes snapped back up to hers with a knowing frown. "Don't go starting anything now," he said firmly, but his eyes were bright. "I've got to go get beat up by Ronon, remember."

She pulled an innocent expression, which she felt she had perfected from seeing his own so frequently.

He frowned though. "Can't quite remember why I thought sparring with Ronon would be a good way to spend this morning," he muttered before looking back to her, his eyes sliding slowly up from her breasts, "When I've got you here all naked and ready at just a smile?"

His hand was wandering across her back, teasing gentle circles that he knew she very much enjoyed.

"Because you have lied to him these past three days as to why you could not meet up to spar, and now you feel guilty," she supplied honestly.

He let out a loud breath. "Yeah, yeah," he replied with a defeated air.

Trying not to smile too much, she settled back down, nestling her body against his, as she angled up over him. "Besides, I will be here when you return, ready at a smile," she told him softly and pressed a smiling kiss to his lips.

He grinned up at her as she pulled back, his hand tightening against her middle, preventing her from moving very far away.

"That makes me feel all better," he told her, using what was clearly a seductive tone, before he pulled her back down to him. She flattened herself against his chest and moved to press her lips to his once more, but he moved his head aside.

"But, you're right, I can't stay here all morning, seeing to your needs," he stated theatrically as he sat up, dislodging her from him as he did.

She pursed her lips at his teasing playful denial of her kiss, as he swung his legs off the side of the bed and stood up.

She forgot about her playful hurt though, for the most enjoyable sight of naked John walking through her quarters more than made up for any slight. She settled onto her side, propping her head up on her hand as she watched him move away, on the hunt for his scattered clothing.

"You know you should really tidy this place up," he teased as he reached down for his shirt that had been piled up in a heap.

She chuckled. "Please feel free to do so," she suggested, and he looked round at her lifting an eyebrow at her new posture, watching him.

"You just gonna lay there and watch the show, huh?" He asked.

"Yes, I am," she replied honestly, adjusting the covers over herself to be more comfortable while she enjoyed the 'show'.

He turned away to continue hunting for his clothing, but now waggled his backside as he did so and she laughed.

"Do Athosian guys walk around naked?" He asked as he found one of his socks around the back of the sofa. He often asked her questions about Athosian culture now, but the questions were always phrased in such a way as to subtly suggest that his Earth ways were more superior and right for her than an Athosian man's.

So far she had held back from telling him just how more satisfying he was in every way than any lover she had before – she did not want him to get too satisfied with himself. And he was looking quite smug and satisfied this morning.

"Only in the sleeping area of the tent," she replied to his question, "for it is never all that wise to move around further at night when there is an open fire and canvas walls for your shadow to be cast upon."

He stood up from where he had found his other sock and looked back at her. "Sounds like there's an interesting story behind that cautionary tale."

She smiled as she reached down and adjusted her covers over her slightly, the early morning chill becoming more apparent without John in the bed to keep her warm. "There is, but I will need more time to tell you of it."

"Sounds good," he replied with a smile as he moved around the sofa, unconcerned about his nudity, though she felt he was strutting slightly more than usual. Not that she was complaining. "Do you remember what you did with my boxers?"

"I think you took them off yourself," she reminded him.

He reached the front of her sofa and began rummaging through the cushions. "No, pretty sure you were trying to tear them off me," he teased, sending her a heated look across her quarters.

"That was the night before," she replied. "Last night you were sat on the floor while we were watching the movie."

"Oh yeah," he agreed as he pushed the sofa cushions back into place. "I don't remember seeing the end of the movie."

"No, we became distracted," she replied with a grin and he grinned back before he turned, affording her an especially good view.

He crouched down and lifted up the bunched up blanket they had been wrapped up in last night. "Got 'em!" He declared victoriously, as he pulled out his boxers and trousers.

She smiled as she watched him stand up and pull on his boxers.

"Wouldn't want to go get beat up by Ronon without these," he declared.

"You are not going to change first in your quarters?" She asked, knowing that he would.

"Sure, but these were fresh on last night," he replied with a smile as he stood up, snapping his boxers into place around his hips.

They had not worn all that much clothing over the last few days, but she knew she would have to get back to the domestic chores of cleaning clothes and tidying her quarters today. It was almost as disappointing as watching John pull his clothes back on. She much preferred him naked now.

"You sure you don't want to join us sparring?" He asked as he pulled on his shirt.

"Thank you, but no, I will leave you to your time alone with Ronon," she replied as he sat down on the arm of the sofa and pulled on his socks and shoes. "And besides, we are all meeting up for breakfast in two hours, so I will see you there," she reminded him.

"Fine, I'll go get beat up alone then," he replied dramatically as he stood up.

She grinned at him. "If you keep up your left guard, you will do far better against him."

He rolled his eyes at her, "Yes, dear," he replied as he moved across the room.

She sat up in the bed as he neared, fully dressed now, making her aware of how undressed she was under the covers she held against her breasts.

"You gonna miss me while I'm gone?" He asked her with a flash of a seductive smile.

She controlled her expression as she shook her head. "I have much I need to do," she replied to tease him, but actually she knew she would miss him the moment he left, but he did not need to know that for sure.

"Good point," he replied as he reached the bed and sat down on the edge beside her, "And I've got sparring, so I won't miss you at all."

The warmth of him teased at her through the covers, his wide shoulders filling her view, and his eyes were dark and sultry despite the fact that he would be leaving at any moment.

She was sorely tempted to pull him down over her, back down onto the bed to pull his clothes from him again, but she stopped herself. Their days together would have to be broken by something eventually, and a sparring session and breakfast was hardly that long apart. However, it was nice to know that he too would rather remain here with her, if his lingering presence and heavy gaze meant anything.

"We have more than enough to fill our lives outside our time together," she agreed as she sat up closer him, sliding one arm around the tempting line of his shoulders.

"Exactly," he replied as he leant in towards her, one of his warm hands sneaking in around the covers to slide around her bare back. His touch was familiar now, but it still sparked sensations across her skin, tingling up her spine. She considered drawing him down to the bed again.

"I'll barely think about you," he whispered against her lips.

A shiver teased down through her as she sealed her lips to his, releasing her hold on the bedcovers to wrap both her arms around his neck.

His kiss was warm, wonderfully familiar, and filled with just enough passion to tease at them both. She lightened the kiss first, pulling back from the temptation to just spend the rest of her time lying with him. How wonderful life would be to just be lost in sensual seclusion with him? No worries of Wraith, duties, or the rest of the universe. Just the two of them, curled up together, lost in passion and pleasure.

He pulled back from the kiss fully, pulling their lips apart sharply, and she drew in a deep breath.

"You're not helping me leave here," he told her.

She realised that she was practically sat in his lap, her naked chest pressed against him, and her arms tight around him. She smiled at herself and pulled back, lifting the covers back over herself as she settled back on the mattress.

He made a rumbling grumbling noise, expressing how much he would prefer to join her, but he stood up abruptly.

"Enjoy your sparring," she told him with a calmer smile. She did want him to go sparring, for it was important for him and Ronon to have their sessions together, not only for John's training and health, but also as the friends they were.

"Stupid sparring," John muttered though, not entirely agreeing with her assessment she guessed, as he turned away.

She grinned at him as he walked away towards the doors out of her quarters. Once there, he turned back.

"All covered up?" He asked, as he had any time he had opened her doors now. He was always concerned in case someone might happen to see her through the doors once they were open.

She rolled her eyes, but nodded as she pulled up the bedcovers even higher to conceal her shoulders.

John nodded his approval and triggered the crystals to open the doors. "I'll see you at breakfast," he called as the doors opened.

However, he did not disappear immediately out into the corridor outside, instead he peered out cautiously, looking both ways down the corridor to check that no one would see him leaving her quarters so early. She laughed as she watched him peer back the other way and then dash out.

He looked back into her quarters at the last minute and the bright lighting outside let her see one of his sexy smiles before he disappeared from view.

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She spent the next two hours without John in busy activity. She had not only done two loads of laundry, using the amazing washing and drying machines in the closest city washing room, she had also thoroughly tidied her quarters. Then, after a refreshing warm shower, she had pulled on some clean clothes and had headed for the Mess Hall.

Pleased with her successful morning so far, and not having allowed thoughts of John to distract her, not that he hadn't been present in her thoughts all through the last two hours. In fact, she had missed several people saying good morning to her until they had literally stood in front of her. Too lost in sensual memories and warm thoughts, she had floated in her busy chores without concern.

Now though, she had a nice breakfast to enjoy with her friends, and soon John would be back at her side.

The Mess Hall was strangely quiet this morning, but then as the team was off rotation, they ate breakfast later in the mornings. She had arrived a little later than she had planned as well, for she had lost some time in trying to decide what to do with some of John's clothes that had been included in with her laundry. She had folded up his two shirts and a pair of boxers and decided that they could be stored in a cupboard. She had cleaned out an entire shelf for his clothes, but then had felt a little nervous about the move, wondering if he would appreciate the small space for himself or if he would find it unnecessary when his own quarters were so close. She had lost some time in internal debate about the shelf, but had finally decided to go with her instinct, and had put his freshly cleaned and folded clothes in on their own shelf.

With such distraction she would have thought she would have been one of the last to arrive, but as she entered the large light and airy Mess Hall, she saw that only Jennifer and Rodney were sat at the group's customary table. And from their body language, Teyla suspected that the couple were having a small disagreement. Rodney was bent over his tray, head down, but clearly responding to Jennifer's rather insistent looking words. Teyla was too far away to hear anything of what was said, but she suspected that Jennifer was annoyed at Rodney about something. That was not a new occurrence, but Jennifer appeared rather irritated this morning.

There were only two other tables occupied in the Mess Hall this morning, and one was for a chess game. Teyla would have to sit with the arguing couple alone until John, Ronon, and Carson arrived.

Trying not to resent the approaching social discomfort disrupting her own happy distracted thoughts, she focused on the table spread with breakfast selections. She decided on some toast with raspberry jam, a small bowl of fruit, and a herbal tea. As she set the tea on her tray, she felt a presence arriving alongside her, and she was already smiling as she looked round.

John slid up to the breakfast table right up close to her. "Morning, Teyla," he said, as if they had not spent the night together.

"Good morning, John," she replied politely, and on seeing Ronon stood on the far side of him, she add, "Good morning to you as well, Ronon."

"Mornin'" Ronon replied around the bread roll he had already pushed into his mouth.

Teyla turned her full attention back to John stood beside her, drinking in his presence, but trying not to appear she was doing so.

"How was your sparring session?" She asked in as normal and casual tone as she could.

"Fine," John replied, but his tone was a little tight as he reached for the large spoon set in the tub of cornflakes.

She looked up at his face to see that he remained in profile to her, not looking directly at her, but then they were playing casual, so she looked away back to her tray.

"Had a good morning?" John asked more conversationally, and perhaps aware that his previous reply had been unusually short.

"Very productive," she replied as she reached out for some more toast so that she could remain close to him a little longer.

As he filled up his bowl with cornflakes, his arm brushed against hers.

"I believe Rodney and Jennifer are having a disagreement," she added more quietly.

Both John and Ronon looked up across the Mess towards the couple, though Ronon immediately returned his attention to filling up his tray with as much food as he could.

"Wonder what that's about," John considered.

"I am not sure," Teyla replied as she picked up her tray. It was very light, so she easy held it in one hand. "I am sure we will hear all about it," she added as she glanced around the Mess Hall. Everyone in the room was focused on their food - no one was looking their way.

She turned to move away, which would take her behind both John and Ronon. Ronon was still intent on filling his tray, whilst eating the last of his bread roll. Freely unobserved, as she passed behind John, she ran her free hand across his backside, squeezing slightly just before she had to drop her hand away. She had felt him tense slightly at first, surprised by the public touch, but he had relaxed instantly and she had no doubt he would be smiling down into his breakfast selection.

Feeling very pleased with her playful move, she continued on past the rest of breakfast table to where she could head out towards the group's usual table. However, she spied Carson walking towards her, having just entered the Mess Hall. With a flush through, she realised that had she timed her caress of John's backside a fraction later it was likely Carson would have witnessed it. It had been a close call, not that Carson would have said anything, but if it had been anyone else, someone in John's command, it would have been highly unprofessional of her. She would have to remember to be better behaved.

She pushed those thoughts quickly out of her mind though, so as not to show anything in her expression as she smiled at Carson as he approached, heading towards the breakfast selection behind her.

"Good morning, Carson," she greeted him.

"Mornin', Luv," he replied with his usual bright friendly smile. "How are you this morning?"

"I am very well, thank you," she replied. "You are rather late to the meal, are you still working on the Glisi genetic tests?"

"Aye," he replied as he reached her, "so much to get through, but it's fascinating work."

"I am sure that it is, but you must make sure to eat regular meals," she admonished him slightly, knowing he had reminded her of the same in the past.

"I know, Luv, thank you," he replied with a smile. "I'm here now though, ready to eat."

"Good," she said and went to move away, "I will see you at the table."

He nodded, but as they moved past each other, he leant a little closer to share something. "And don't think I didn't see that," he told her, indicating John behind her.

She froze in place – had he meant that he had seen her touching John? Carson grinned, confirming in his smile and the amused shine in his eyes that he had indeed witnessed her inappropriate moment, but he reached out and squeezed her arm as he headed away towards the food.

Feeling a heady mix of embarrassment, relief that it had only been Carson, and amusement at the event, she forced herself to carry on towards the tables.

Though she and John had agreed that they both wanted a proper relationship together, they had decided to keep it private still for the time being. At least until their week together was over and they were due to return to duties, at which point the decision could be made on what would happen with the team. For now though, they were enjoying their private time together, but she trusted Carson would be discreet over what he had witnessed.

Reaching the tables, she headed straight for Rodney and Jennifer, who looked up towards her, both smiling somewhat relieved smiles. Clearly the disagreement was tiring them both.

"Morning, Teyla," Jennifer greeted her as she sat down opposite her. "Are you enjoying your rest days?"

Teyla smiled politely and nodded. "Yes, I am thank you."

"It must be nice to have so much time free, especially with Torren with his father for so much longer," Jennifer continued.

"It has been, though I am very much looking forward to Torren's return tomorrow," Teyla replied as she spread jam across a piece of toast. "Are you both well?" She asked, internally wincing, ready for what such a question may provoke.

"We're fine, thanks," Jennifer replied for them both.

Teyla smiled more directly at Rodney, assessing his expression. He smiled back at her, but there was definitely some strain around his eyes – she surmised that he was in trouble over something.

"How are things proceeding with the Glisi science station?" She asked as she took a bite of her toast, however Jennifer tensed up across the table, and Teyla realised she might have inadvertently discovered the subject of the couple's disagreement.

"Its fine," Rodney replied, in a very short unemotional response, which was very unlike him.

Silence descended over the table, as the couple both focused on their food.

Teyla looked round back towards the selection table to see what was taking the others so long to get here. John and Ronon were talking with Carson. She looked back to the couple.

"Do you know how long it will be until the Glisi move their camp?" She asked to fill the tension.

"They've put back their departure date," Rodney responded more animatedly this time. "Think they want to keep an eye on Radek's work on the station before they leave."

Jennifer rolled her eyes and sighed. "Rodney," she warned. "Radek is perfectly capable of seeing to the project."

Teyla frowned at them. "I thought you were overseeing the project, Rodney?" She asked. Jennifer looked up with a warning look, but the words were already out.

"Woolsey's taken me off it," Rodney protested.

"You've finished your part in the design and construction of station," Jennifer argued, "You were the one who said you had better things to do than configure the new station's instruments."

"I do have better things to do," Rodney replied, "but it was my project."

"You said you didn't want it and that Radek could oversee it," Jennifer argued.

Teyla looked away hopefully and was greatly relieved to see John and Ronon only a few steps away. She sent a pleading look up towards John, only he did not look directly at her again. He smiled though, but his eyes were on Rodney as he reached the table.

"I hear you've been taken of the Glisi project because you were whinging too much," he asked unhelpfully as he pulled out the seat next to her and sat down.

Teyla rolled her eyes and saw Jennifer doing the same across the table, which made them both smile.

"I wasn't taken off the project," Rodney protested, in direct contrast to what he had just told her.

"He upset Zelenka," Ronon supplied as he took the seat at the far end of the table.

Teyla shared a smile with Ronon, before glancing back to John sat beside her, his arm brushing against hers as he picked up his spoon. However, he still hadn't looked round at her, and he was sitting slightly stiffly as if he was purposefully looking only straight ahead.

"Rodney," John warned, "I told you not to push it about working on Hoth."

Hoth had become the new unofficial name for the Glisi home world among the teams who had visited the frozen planet.

"It wasn't _my_ fault," Rodney protested loudly, only for Jennifer to tell him to calm himself.

Teyla looked back up at John, willing him to look at her properly, beginning to worry that something was wrong.

Perhaps sensing her full attention on him, John finally glanced round at her, which brought the far side of his face into view. She noticed the large growing bruise across his left eyebrow immediately, which explained why he had remained in profile to her so long. She shook her head at him and he shrugged sheepishly. Clearly he had not listened to her about keeping up his left guard.

She angled her head to look at the injury more clearly, while Rodney and Jennifer continued to debate the importance of politics in the workplace. John's eyebrow was not very swollen and the skin hadn't been broken, it was just a colourful bruise.

Oddly though, she felt a new response rise inside her, which had her looking at Ronon at the end of the table. Everyone who sparred received injuries and she knew that Ronon was good at controlling the power of his strikes, but some part of her still felt great annoyance at him for hitting John. She knew it was foolish, she had hit John many times herself in sparring, but she felt far more protective of him now.

Ronon saw her look and shrugged at her. "It was his fault," he summarised.

Teyla frowned at him and then back up at John. Ronon was likely right, but she still did not like to see John hurt in any way.

"Someone else tired him out first," Ronon added and she snapped her eyes back to him, seeing John look round as well.

Did Ronon know about them?

Ronon smiled at her as he lifted an apple and bit into it, his eyes sparkling with clear amusement.

"Who are you talking about?" Rodney suddenly asked, having caught the end of their conversation. "Has he been Kirking again?" He asked gesturing to John.

Teyla looked down back to her food, feeling a mixture of amusement and some embarrassment at the topic. She and John had talked about their past relationships, and he had told her that he had a couple of short, casual affairs since being in Atlantis, but she did not need to hear Rodney talking about such things.

"Shut it, McKay," Ronon said sternly, surprising her, and she looked back to her friend with a smile at his own protectiveness.

"I don't believe this," Rodney muttered though as he sat back, crossing his arms. "I'm off building houses in freezing waist-deep snow and he's off Kirking his way around the newbies. Who is she?" He demanded.

"We're not going to talk about this, Rodney," John warned, his tone more serious than she had expected.

Across the table, Teyla saw Jennifer's expression shift, having caught the edge in John's tone as well. Rodney, however, had not.

"Is it that tall pretty redhead?" Rodney asked. "I knew it! Everyone's all over her, typical you would get in there first."

"Which pretty redhead is that _exactly_?" Jennifer asked Rodney pointedly.

Rodney's eyes snapped round to her, wide and worried all of a sudden. "I just heard the others talking about her, that's all."

Jennifer nodded with disbelief.

"Like I would be interested in her," Rodney added weakly. "Not after Kirk's been..." He trailed off, finally seeing which direction he was digging himself with Jennifer.

"I'm sure she's very nice," Jennifer said to John.

"I'm not seeing a redhead," John protested rather defensively, "And I'm not talking about this."

"So you _are_ seeing someone," Rodney concluded, annoyingly stubborn on the matter.

"Rodney," Teyla warned, not because she felt some embarrassment for herself, but because she knew Rodney would not realise how defensive on this subject John would now be.

"Come on, he's been a monk for ages," Rodney protested. "And he always gets the hot ones."

"A minute ago, I was Captain Kirk," John pointed out, "Which is, McKay?"

"I'm just-"

"Getting in trouble again, Rodney?" Carson asked, arriving at the table with perfect timing.

"Sheppard's seeing someone and he won't tell us who it is," Rodney told him as if that was defence enough for his behaviour.

"I think we can all respect John's privacy, Rodney," Carson replied calmly as he took the seat next to Teyla, putting him at the end of the table opposite Ronon.

"Exactly," John added, "I'll talk about my new girlfriend when I'm ready, okay?"

Teyla felt a flush of happy pride to hear herself described as such. She was tempted for a moment to reveal their relationship now, but on looking at John, she saw that he remained tense, glaring at Rodney. Now was not the time.

"Okay, fine," Rodney replied almost sulkily.

"Anyone else you want to piss off?" Ronon asked Rodney from the end of the table.

Teyla tried to tune out the rest of the bickering between the men, turning her attention back to her meal.

"I don't think there's anyone else left for him to upset," Jennifer whispered at her across the table.

"I believe you are correct," Teyla replied with a smile and Jennifer grinned in reply. She had not seen much of Jennifer this week. "How has your week been so far?" She asked.

"Busy," Jennifer replied, as the men continued their discussion, on fishing now by the sounds of it, Carson joining in over her and Jennifer's quieter conversation. "I've just finished two night shifts in a row, so I'm a little cranky," Jennifer added and angled her head towards Rodney beside her, silently communicating that it was the reason behind her impatience with Rodney. "I could do with a few days complete rest myself," Jennifer added quietly to her. "I've hardly seen you around the city."

"No, I've been staying mostly in my quarters," Teyla replied as she quickly looked down to her fruit, feeling a little uncomfortable at the partial truth.

"You timed it well, taking the same time off as Colonel..." Jennifer's words trailed off and Teyla looked up sharply to see Jennifer look at John and back to her with sudden suspicion.

Teyla tried to look innocent.

Jennifer lifted her eyebrows in silent question.

Teyla tried harder to look innocent, trying to appear confused at Jennifer's unspoken question.

Jennifer's mouth dropped open and she leant low across the table. "Teyla?" She asked with a teasing shocked smile. "You've _haven't_ been resting have you."

Teyla gave up and, glancing aside to ensure that the others were not involved in the discussion, she finally shook her head and grinned at her friend.

Jennifer sat up with a wide smile. "I thought you looked tired for someone who's had three days doing nothing."

"What?" Rodney asked her, confused that he had missed something Jennifer had said to him.

"Nothing," Jennifer replied to him, "Just thinking out loud."

Rodney frowned, but nodded. "Is it okay?"

"I'm sorry?" Jennifer asked, confused now herself.

"We're planning a fishing trip," John supplied as he sipped his coffee, whilst under the table, his outer thigh pressed solidly against Teyla's. She looked round at him, to see him smile as he put down his cup.

"That's fine, Rodney," Jennifer replied, "You don't have to ask my permission to go on a trip."

"You could come with us," Carson suggested with his usual enthusiasm for such events. Teyla wondered some days if he knew about the ill-fated fishing trip that the original Carson had missed. She suspected it had not escaped his notice that the men now always had time for such trips.

"And Teyla, you could come too," Carson suggested to her.

"And Sheppard can bring his new girlfriend," Rodney said, innocently unaware of the truth.

"McKay," John, Ronon and Carson all warned together.

Rodney looked at them with shock. "What? I meant it nicely."

"I don't think it's my kind of trip, but thank you, Carson," Jennifer replied, reaching out to touch Carson's arm affectionately.

"Like its Rodney's kind of trip," John commented, "Last time we had to come back early because he got a hook stuck in his thumb."

"It was excruciatingly painful," Rodney complained.

"He did need minor surgery," Carson defended as he smiled.

"Well, still, I'll give it a miss," Jennifer replied, "Besides, perhaps Teyla and I could have a girls night in?"

Teyla smiled at the idea and nodded her agreement.

"We can paint our nails, watch some girly films, and talk about _men_," Jennifer added, with a pointed emphasis on the last point. She would want to know all about Teyla's new relationship.

Teyla nodded, though feeling somewhat conflicted about the idea. It was not common among her people to discuss such personal things with others, even with close female friends, but another part of her wanted to share the joy she felt in finally being with John. As much as she was a private person, as was John, she rather looked forward to when their relationship would be out in the open among their friends.

She looked round at John beside her and saw him smile at her. The smile would appear casual and just friendly to anyone watching, but, under the table, the heat of his thigh pressed against hers, and she smiled back.

"Great, it's settled then," Carson stated and Teyla snapped her eyes away from John, to see Jennifer smiling down into her coffee.

"Can you at least bring some anaesthetic with you this time," Rodney asked Carson down the table.

"Sure, Rodney," Carson replied. "Anything you need."

"Don't offer him that," John protested and they laughed.

"Good point," Carson agreed as he stood up. "On that note though, I've got to get back to my work, not all of us are on vacation this week."

With mass agreement, they all stood up, cleared the table, and filed across the empty Mess Hall.

Jennifer walked beside her through the empty tables, discussing which movie they might watch on their girls night next week, while Teyla worked hard not to stare at John walking in front of her. He was still in his workout clothes, which she had not seen him in since they had gotten together. She had noticed how well such trousers fitted him before now, but this time she knew what lay beneath. She could not quite get the image out of her head of him walking naked away from the bed this morning.

"I'll see if I can get the dvd from Julia," Jennifer said, "if you heard anything I just said."

Teyla looked round at her in surprise. "I heard what you said," she replied, though in truth she could not recall exactly which movie Jennifer had been describing.

Jennifer gave her a knowing smile before they reached the area to leave their used trays and cutlery.

Adding her empty tray to the stack to be cleaned, Teyla reminded herself that she really needed to pay more attention to how she behaved around John now. Ironically, she had predicted that he would have been the one to drops hints and sneak in small touches whilst they were in public, but it appeared that in this she was the weaker link.

As they all moved out of the Mess Hall, she let her eyes drop to his backside just briefly once again.

She could perhaps forgive herself a little today though – after all they were still on vacation.

000000  
TBC


End file.
